Not afraid like, it's going to mutate into some creature and come running after me or anything, but I was afraid to make it. I absolutely loved it when Mom made chicken salad. There's a little cafe a few towns over that make a great chicken salad sandwich served on a fresh croissant.
And it seems that no two chicken salads are the same. Maybe that's why I was afraid to make it. Could I - little ol' me - make some of this delectable poultry goodness?
Then one day, I did. We had just finished a baked chicken and there were leftovers (a rarity around here). Paul normally picks the bird clean and I make him chicken and gravy for his lunch the next day. But for some reason, I decided to brave the unknown. Instead of smothering the chicken meat in gravy, I smothered it in mayonnaise.
After chunking up the chicken meat into small pieces, I went to the fridge and cupboards to see what other muchie things I could throw into the bowl. I found sunflower seeds, raisins, celery, apples, onions, chopped 'em all up and threw them into the bowl. A few cranks of the pepper grinder, a few shakes of the seasoning salt, a dash of sugar and plopped a big ol' spoonful of homemade mayonnaise in there and stirred it around. After adjusting the seasoning a bit, I had myself a wonderful Chicken Salad!
It was amazing. And truth be told, as I'm typing this, I am chewing on a fork-full of it. Wonderful.
And the best part of it is, that there really is no recipe! I mean, seriously. I just rummage through the fridge and chop up crunchy, savory and sweet stuff, toss it in the bowl o' chicken. Add mayonnaise and a few simple seasonings and D.O.N.E. You can eat it just as is. You can wrap it up in a huge leaf of lettuce. You can put it on top of chopped salad greens. You can wrap it up in a soft tortilla.
So. Are YOU afraid of the Chicken Salad Monster? Don't be. He's actually very tame. And very yummy to boot.
I have made it but like you there was nothing written down. It is a good thing to do if there is left overs, I think I may have put relish in mine but your version sounds good. You have got me thinking about making some and I do have a chicken in the freezer that needs to be roasted.
ReplyDeleteMine never tastes as good as I want it to. (So just what am I comparing it to, I ask? Dunno.) I never, ever think of putting nuts or fruit (grapes! yes, grapes!) in it but have had that and liked it a lot.
ReplyDeleteSunnybrook Farm, I make mine with relish, too. Also chopped dill pickle which is kind of redundant but I do it anyway.
Those are my favorite recipes. flexible ones. I use celery, mayo and fresh tarragon in mine, but fruit is great too...
ReplyDeleteSeeds and nuts in chicky salad? Ya I am afraid of that but I like my chicken salad with the bare minimum of additions.
ReplyDeleteWhew. After extolling your fiercesomeness, I was very glad to read that you weren't afraid of some weenie chicken salad. I tend to add things like grapes or raisins and curry. Or relish. Not all at the same time, however. My chicken salad is never the same.
ReplyDeleteThat's the same way I make mine. Hard telling what I'll put in it.
ReplyDeleteThat's the same way I make mine. Hard telling what I'll put in it.
ReplyDelete