What are your favorite chicken salad recipes?

Question

Chicken salad is a lunch staple for us, especially in the summer time. Recently I feel my game has stagnated a little and I'd love some new ideas for techniques and flavors. We eat everything.

I made one today with Costco vacuum-packed rotisserie chicken (OK, not great), radishes, quick-pickled white onions, chopped dills, parsley, horseradish, mayo and salt. I'd like to try homemade mayo as my next major upgrade.

Answer

I like to add pecans, apples and pineapple! With dukes mayo!

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No set recipe other than using leftovers from a good roasted or grilled bird. It seems to make all the difference.

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Other than the classic I like two. One is the basic but has the additions of curry powder, grapes, and pecans. The other starts with grilled chicken and adds mayonnaise, diced celery, sun dried tomatoes, pine nuts, and basil. If you get into home made mayonnaise it’s wonderful. You can adjust textures, make it more lemony, toss in chipotles...whatever you like.m

Answer

Whole foods has a crazy best selling “sonoma chicken salad” that they make, (i buy the vegan version) and they published the recipe here
https://m.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/sonoma-chicken-salad

I love this sunflower seed chickpea salad, you could certainly do half chicken and half chickpeas. The crunchy salty sunflower seeds add a great texture. Be sure to use dijon, and i omit the maple syrup. (The garlic sauce listed on this link is fantastic on sandwiches too) 
https://minimalistbaker.com/chickpea-sunflower-sandwich/

Answer

This curried turkey salad is good and I make it with chicken.

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/curried-turkey-salad-with-cashews-103768

Answer

We like coronation chicken, with curry powder, mango chutney, and golden raisins.

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I like something sweet and something crunchy in my chicken salad. For the sweet I have used mango chutney, grapes, cantaloupe, dried sweetened cranberries and apples. The crunchy can be as simple as celery or something like toasted nuts. Homemade mayo would be good. Sometimes I do half mayo and half plain yogurt.

Answer

I like all of these ideas, and have used many. I seem to come back to curry powder, celery, mayo, fruit (usually dried, usually cranberries or raisins) , sometimes nuts, and some heat from chili's. Harrissa might be good, but I haven't tried it. I also like variations on "Chinese chicken salad". 

 I have used the Costco vacuum packed rotisserie chicken when cooking for groups, and am always amazed by how long they say the package will keep. I have also used sous vide breasts. My husband prefers something less "tender". I am also experimenting with chickpeas as a replacement for chicken. Anyone have a preference regarding how the chicken is cooked? 

What I like most are things that keep for several days, and it seems fresh fruit like apple, grapes and pinapple, and maybe nuts, might not hold up well. Is that true?

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A family favorite is wild rice salad with chicken/turkey, toasted pecans, dried apricots, and green onions. Use a oil and vinegar dressing. Keeps well and travels well.

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I’m anti-mayo, so prefer vinaigrette dressings. This is one of my favorites! I cut the recipe in half for 2 adults and use a jar of roasted peppers. Butter lettuce and Parmesan are optional. Capers on the side for me, as my husband doesn’t like them (and yet I married him...?).
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/italian-chicken-salad-in-lettuce-cups-recipe-1953608

Answer

I like the plain version - I’ll sometimes add a bit of red onion and lots of black pepper. Also a splash of vinegar to cut the mayo. And I vary the “crunch” - not a big fan of celery, so I’ve used fennel, water chestnuts, and broccoli slaw.

But I love Whole foods’ spicy chicken salad - home riff has scallions and cilantro plus the crunch factor, sriracha for the heat, mayo, and rice vinegar to cut everything.

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There’s a restaurant in Houston that used to take a halved pineapple, cut out chunks of fruit, and fill the halved pineapple with a curried chicken salad, garnished with chunks of pineapple and big shards of macadamia nut brittle. Oh my but it was good. It’s not on their menu anymore, the fools.

Answer

My two favorites:

1) A curried chicken salad that replaces the raisins/sultanas (don't like their texture here) with halved grapes. It also calls for cumin, cayenne, celery, apple, slivered almonds, and cilantro. I'd be happy to share it with anyone who wants the full recipe. 

For this recipe, rather than using a day-old rotisserie bird, I prefer to use meat from either a whole chicken or bone-in parts that I've poached in stock until just cooked through. 

2) Cobb salad, of course! With egg, bacon, blue cheese, avocado & tomato. For this a day-old rotisserie bird is fine. In fact, the drier meat probably absorbs the vinaigrette better.

Answer

I like to mix it up and think outside of the traditional chicken salad box. i.e. 

chicken salad nicoise, chicken Cobb salad, Chinese chicken salad, chicken Waldorf salad, chicken salad served in lettuce cups, Mexican chicken salad - mayo and lime juice, tortilla chips, pico de gallo, monterey Jack cheese, avocado. Whatever I have in the fridge.

Answer

My favourite is this Ina's salad - https://www.sidewalkshoes.com/tarragon-chicken-salad-veronique/

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