New new ideas for chicken salad

[velochic]

I've been doing the same thing for a long time with my chicken salad. I'm looking for new ways to serve, new ingredients, flavorings, ways to season and cook the chicken, even new ethnic twists, etc. Anything to update this old thing. I use green peppers, a blend (kind of southwestern mix with chipotle) of spices, and a bit of fresh garlic. I'm open to any ideas. Not looking for specific recipes, per se, but maybe something new I could google for. I was going to put this in the chicken category, but really I'm looking for more than just a recipe... I'm looking to update it in every way, including how to serve and what to serve it on. Thanks!

 

[Wyogal]

When I worked at a restuarant, one of their best selling salads was a chicken cashew salad. A pretty basic chicken salad, but with cashews. It was served on a bed of chopped romaine, with garnish of blackberries, strawberries, cataloupe, honeydew (cut into bit-sized chunks), then more cashews sprinkled on top.

 

[kitchenelf]

I look for recipes without mayo for something different. I did a search for Asian Chicken Salad Recipes and then one for Chicken Salad with pineapple...LOTS of stuff comes up. From there I feel sure you can refine your search or search until sometime next year! LOL

 

[merstar]

This one's delicious. I added a little onion powder, garlic powder, and cumin powder to the marinade:
CHICKEN SOUVLAKI SALAD
Chicken Souvlaki Salad Recipe - MyRecipes.com

These are on my to try list:

CHICKEN ORZO SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE
Chicken Orzo Salad With Goat Cheese Recipe - Food.com - 299669

CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD
Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe | Simply Recipes

CHICKEN AND SPINACH SALAD WITH TOASTED SESAME DRESSING
Chicken-and-Spinach Salad with Toasted-Sesame Dressing Recipe - Quick From Scratch Soups & Salads | Food & Wine

BLT CHICKEN AND PASTA SALAD
http://www.womansday.com/Recipes/Blt-Chicken-And-Pasta-Salad-Recipe.html

 

[Vanilla Bean]

When I was cooking for a restaurant, I loved their chicken-cobb salad...bacon, bleu cheese, diced chicken breast over lettuce and vegies. My favorite dressing with that was either a simple italian or french.

 

[MSC]

I also like Chinese chicken salad as you can make it as bland or spicy as you like.
Another I like a lot and will submit this as qualifying as a 'chicken salad', is a caesar salad served with blackened chicken, makes it a very different salad.
Also you might want to look into recipes for Thai chicken salads, many ways to do them and most terrif.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Here's a favorite around here:

BREEZY CHICKEN (OR TURKEY) SALAD

All ingredient amounts to taste:

Shredded or diced cooked regular or smoked poultry
Diced Smoked Gouda cheese
Halved red or green seedless grapes
Walnut pieces
Mayo to bind
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
Optional: minced shallots, diced celery

Combine & serve on a bed of mixed salad greens.

 

[velochic]

Gosh, I don't even know where to start. They all look so WONDERFUL! Thank you! These are really great ideas. I grilled off 3 lbs. of chicken yesterday before it got too hot outside because that's what I eat for "cold cuts" ('cause we try to avoid processed food) and I'm wanting to have some fun with chicken salad. I have my fun cut out for me! Thanks again!

 

[forty_caliber]

I like to used left-over smoked chicken to make CS sandwiches the next day.

Shredded smoked chicken
50:50 ratio of bbq sauce and mayo
fresh cracked black pepper

 

[kadesma]

When I was cooking for a restaurant, I loved their chicken-cobb salad...bacon, bleu cheese, diced chicken breast over lettuce and vegies. My favorite dressing with that was either a simple italian or french.

VB, this looks wonderful and so different than what we usually do. Thanks for a new idea.
kades

 

[DaveSoMD]

I like to used left-over smoked chicken to make CS sandwiches the next day.

Shredded smoked chicken
50:50 ratio of bbq sauce and mayo
fresh cracked black pepper

I was just wondering what to do with that package of chicken thighs in the fridge.... think I'm gonna grill em up tomorrow night and make a batch.

 

[velochic]

Here's a favorite around here:

BREEZY CHICKEN (OR TURKEY) SALAD

All ingredient amounts to taste:

Shredded or diced cooked regular or smoked poultry
Diced Smoked Gouda cheese
Halved red or green seedless grapes
Walnut pieces
Mayo to bind
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
Optional: minced shallots, diced celery

Combine & serve on a bed of mixed salad greens.

I made this one yesterday. It was better today after it sat overnight, but got good reviews yesterday, too. I added the shallots, but not celery and I grated the smoked gouda. I also toasted the walnuts. I served it on homemade bread rolls. Thanks!

 

[Kayelle]

Some interesting ideas here......thank you.
I posted my chicken salad in the chicken category two weeks ago. You may want to give it a go. It's good, if I do say so myself.

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f15/my-chicken-salad-65747.html

 

[velochic]

Some interesting ideas here......thank you.
I posted my chicken salad in the chicken category two weeks ago. You may want to give it a go. It's good, if I do say so myself.

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f15/my-chicken-salad-65747.html

Thanks for the link! I appreciate it. Your recipe sounds great. I'd probably leave out the bouillon and MSG... and probably the seasoning salt, but the almonds and peas really sound wonderful! I love how fresh peas pop when you bite into them, so not only would they add good flavor, but a little surprise in texture.

 

[Mimizkitchen]

I make my chicken salad with red onion, celery, capers, lemon zest, dill, and mayo... This is my favorite I just love the fresh pop of the lemon...

 

[Yakuta]

Hi Velochic, few twists to my chicken salad

I like to use whole brown mustard seeds and whole ground cumin seeds, dry roast them and then grind with a coffee grinder, I add them to the mayonnaise base along with freshly ground black pepper (which sometimes I also roast and grind). I like to use one yellow apple (golden delicious) chopped finely in my salad to add some sweetness to it
Sometimes I substitute apples with dry cranberries or cherries for the sweet and sour taste


Another twist I sometimes make to my chicken salad recipe is make a cilantro chutney - just a bunch of cilantro, 1 jalapeno, 2 tbsp of fresh lime juice, some ground cumin powder. Blend it all and then mix this paste in the mayonnaise along with any other ingredients and viola a little bit of an exotic spin on a blah chicken salad.

As far as serving it goes, I can't really help there because I only like my chicken salad on pepperidge farm sandwich bread and yes I toss out the crust. Something about the soft salad on a soft bread that my kids and I both enjoy very much. I don't like to experiment with something that already is so good.

 

[Mimizkitchen]

Ahhhh Yakuta you are a person after my heart... I also am a pepperidge farm bread person, something about the soft sweetness of the bread that just has me hooked...

 

[kadesma]

I like to cut up the chicken into fine pieces, add green sliced onions, celery, diced grapes,toasted chopped nuts and the wrap in butter lettuce. mayo and small amount of Dijon to bind.Have several other ways we like it as well.

kades

 

[missM]

One cooked chicken, skin off, chopped into bite sized pcs. 2 or three nectarines chopped up. a few spring onions - whites and greens sliced, a cup of pecans roughly chopped - not too small, your own mayo. Toss. Yum! if you want crunchy bits, try fried noodles tossed through.

 

[Zhizara]

Open faced with bacon and swiss on a slice of toasted 12 grain bread.

Toast 12 (or less) grain bread because toasting really brings out the flavors of the grains.

Open faced to keep the food from gushing out the side, and so you can pile it up.