There are as many recipes for chicken salad as there are cultures and diverse appetites in the world. Some people prefer making their chicken salad with the dark meat and others use only the white. Each culture adds an ingredient or herb to make this comfort food their very own. Below is a favorite chicken salad recipe that works well also for turkey. Some of the optional items listed towards the end of the ingredient list will lend a different flair to the dish. Mix and match and add your own inspirations. Chicken is the ultimate base food and equally supports sweet, spicy and savory ingredients. Enjoy!


Basic Chicken Salad

4 Cooked Chicken Breasts, cubed
1/4 cup Dijon mayonnaise or Dijon sour cream
1 lb Red or Green Grapes, halved
1/2 cup Pine nuts or almonds
1 cup Cheddar cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup Celery
1/2 cup White Onion
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Curry, to taste (optional)
Bread and Butter Pickles, chopped (optional)
Calamata Olives, chopped (optional)
Bacon, fried crisp and chopped (optional)
Exchange the grapes with chopped golden raisins (optional) - especially great with the curry!

Cut cooked chicken into bite-size pieces. Mix in mayonnaise or sour cream. Salt and pepper to taste. Add red grapes, nuts, cheese and celery. Mix gently to distribute mayo or sour cream evenly throughout. Taste and add onions based on preference.

Serving suggestion: Serve inside hollowed-out Kaiser or onion rolls.


Georgia Chicken Salad

1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3 to 4 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 small heads small heads romaine lettuce
4 slices sourdough bread, toasted
2 to 4 tablespoons honey-butter
1 2- to 2-1/2-pounds rotisserie chicken
4 medium peaches or nectarines, pitted and sliced
2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil or marjoram leaves

For dressing, whisk together sour cream, vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper; set aside.

Remove a few outer leaves from romaine heads. Halve romaine lengthwise. Spread each toast slice with honey-butter; place one slice on each of 4 serving plates. Top each with a half head of romaine. Arrange chicken and peaches on greens. Sprinkle with mint and basil or marjoram. Drizzle with dressing. Makes 4 servings.