How to Make Chicken Salad

Guide Note

Chicken salad is a versatile dish that can be brought to a summer potluck or served as an elegant main dish at a bridal shower. This guide will teach you the basics of preparing this simple dish!

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• What You'll Need
• Step 1: Prepare the Chicken
• Step 2: Mix Your Dressing
• Step 3: Assemble the Chicken Salad
• Variations
• Additional Chicken Salad Recipes
• References

Chicken Salad Tips

1. Can substitute light mayonnaise or yogurt to reduce fat and calories
2. Make ahead of time to let flavors blend
3. Add fruit or vegetables as desired

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Introduction

• Chicken salad is a combination of chicken and dressing, plus vegetables, fruits or nuts, that can be served on a bed of greens or used as a sandwich filling.¹ Although usually served cold, a warm chicken salad² can be a nice change of pace for a casual dinner.

What You'll Need for Basic Chicken Salad

(Creative Commons photo by Fredo Alvarez)

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken

• The main ingredient in chicken salad is chopped chicken. Consequently, the key to success with chicken salad is ensuring that the chicken you start with is well seasoned and moist.³ Although chicken salad is a great use for leftover chicken, poaching chicken specifically for the salad ensures moist chicken.^{4 5} You can also tailor the seasonings in the broth you use to poach the chicken to match the flavors you'll be using in the chicken salad itself.⁶

1. Poach the chicken.
2. Chop chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Step 2: Mix the Dressing

(Creative Commons photo by Kymberly)

• Feel free to experiment with the dressing, adding fruits, vegetables and seasonings as desired. Start with this basic recipe, then look at the variations below for inspiration!

1. Combine the mayonnaise with the lemon juice in a bowl big enough to hold the completed salad.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add any additional seasonings you're using to "dress up" the salad.
4. Combine well.
5. Add the celery and onion.
6. Refrigerate while the chicken is poaching to allow the flavors to blend.

Step 3: Assemble the Chicken Salad

1. Combine the chicken with the dressing.
2. Add any additional ingredients, such as grapes, dried cranberries, mandarin oranges, or the like.
3. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
4. Any crispy ingredients, such as nuts or chinese noodles, should be added immediately before serving so they don't get soggy.
5. Arrange scoops of chicken salad on lettuce leaves.

Variations

1. Add chipotle chili powder to the mayonnaise to spice up the chicken salad.⁷
2. Fruit, such as peaches or grapes, makes an interesting addition.^{8 9}
3. Use herbs, such as rosemary or cilantro, to liven up the dish.^{10 11}
4. Toasted nuts can be added.⁸
5. A tablespoon of preserves or honey will add a sweet touch to your dressing.¹²

Additional Chicken Salad Recipes

Get creative with chicken salad ideas. (Creative Commons photo by RatRanch)

• Food Network: Chicken Club Salad ¹³
  • This recipe takes traditional club sandwich ingredients, and mixes them up in an interesting chicken salad.
• Epicurious.com: Chicken Salad with Piquillo Peppers, Almonds, and Spicy Greens ¹⁴
  • Peppers, almonds, and mustard liven up leftover roast chicken in this recipe.
• All Recipes: Grilled Chicken Salad with Seasonal Fruit¹⁵
  • Grilled Chicken is combined with fresh berries in this easy to prepare chicken salad.
• Recipezaar: Jamie Deen's Chicken Salad¹⁶
  • This recipe, from Paula Deen's son Jamie, uses a few tablespoons of the poaching liquid mixed in with the dressing.
• Martha Stewart: Chicken Salad Sandwich¹⁷
  • Martha's recipe for this classic includes yogurt, apples and watercress.

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References for How to Make Chicken Salad

1. ↑ Slashfood: Food Porn: Chicken Salad Sandwich  (September 21, 2006)
2. ↑ Food Network: Warm Chicken Salad 
3. ↑ Tom's River Times: Secrets Of Great Chicken Salad (May 7, 2008)
4. ↑ YumSugar: Monday's Leftovers: Chicken Salad with Cumin Carrot Raita
5. ↑ Girl Interrupted Eating: Poaching a Chicken
6. ↑ Herald Review: Poaching Chicken Brings Out the Flavor (May 15, 2008)
7. ↑ Food Network: Chicken, Black Bean, and Corn Salad with Chipotle Mayonnaise  
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Epicurious.com: Chicken Salad with Peaches and Walnuts 
9. ↑ Epicurious.com: Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts 
10. ↑ Epicurious.com: Chicken Salad with Rosemary, Almonds and Green Onions 
11. ↑ Epicurious.com: Chicken Salad with Cilantro and Ginger 
12. ↑ Simply Recipes: Chicken Salad Recipe (September 18, 2006)
13. ↑ Food Network: Chicken Club Salad  
14. ↑ Epicurious.com: Chicken Salad with Piquillo Peppers, Almonds, and Spicy Greens   
15. ↑ All Recipes: Grilled Chicken Salad with Seasonal Fruit
16. ↑ Recipezaar: Jamie Deen's Chicken Salad
17. ↑ Martha Stewart: Chicken Salad Sandwich

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