I have been using dried cranberries in my chicken salad since I tried it at a eatery and it is so good. Another suggestion if you haven't already cooked it, The barefoot Contessa suggested baking/roasting the chicken instead of boiling and boy does it make a difference in the chicken salad...........try it ..

I think simple is best - chunks of chicken, finely chopped celery and onion, mayo and a little dried tarragon. You can used canned chicken or rotisserie chicken, or you can poach your own breasts in a little wine.

Do you want it for sandwiches, or to stuff in tomatoes?

This is my preference:

shredded cooked chicken breasts--I like mine poached
finely chopped celery
chopped onions
salt
pepper
Hellman's mayonnaise

All I do is chop up the cooked chicken
add nature's seasoning (or you choice of seasoning)
chopped onion
pickle relish
celery
hard cooked egg (opt)
Mayo

Do you like the taste of curry? We love it and Harry made this once and we really liked it. It calls for nuts, but you can leave the nuts out of any recipe. I just noticed there's no celery in this recipe. We didn't miss it, but I'll throw some in next time for crunch.

Curried Chicken Salad

1/2 c mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. curry powder
2 c. cubed cooked chicken (if I don't have chicken or turkey already cooked, I buy one at the deli)
1 c. green grapes, halved
1/2 c. chopped pecans
4 green onions, chopped

Combine mayo, honey and curry. Stir in the chicken, grapes, pecans and onion. Can serve as sandwwiches in pita bread or croissants, or serve on lettuce leaves.

Here is mine:
4 chicken breast - cooked and chopped fine or shred
3/4 cup Hellmann's mayonnaise or more
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
2 boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 cup red seedless grapes, chopped

You can use more or less of the mayo depending on the
size of the chicken breast..I don't like mine dry.

Thank you so much for all the fast replies and so many good ideas!!! I have never made chicken salad in my life, but I *LOVE* it, and I'm having a friend over for lunch on Tuesday, and the friend LOVES chicken salad. I thought I'd make it for our Tuesday lunch.

Thanks so much for these delightfully simple recipes!

Rose

I love the chicken salad in the link. It does call for nuts, but is still good without them. It uses cranberries too which adds a really nice taste.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cranchick Salad

I have one using wild rice....no measurements, just go by guess. It has the grapes, mandarin oranges, pineapple and celery, plus the chicken. (I do use some slivered almonds in mine, but they are really not crucial)

The dressing is....

1/2 c. sugar (I do cut this down by half)
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp grated onion
2 Tbspl vinegar
1 cup salad oil
3 Tbsp. vinegar
1 Tbsp celery seed

Mix sugar, mustard, salt and grated onion with the 2 T. vinegar. Adsd salad oil slowly, beating constantly. Add the 3 Tbsp. vinegar and celery seed. Continue beating until dressing is thick.

I enjoy a little curry in the chicken salad for sandwiches. It tastes better if you let the flavors blend a little before serving. It's really good on fresh bakery croisants too.

Local bbq restaurant smokes their chicken then makes the traditional chicken salad: celery, onions, chicken, s&p, mayo with it. They shred white and dark meat to make their.

I really like the smokey flavor.

I think it was Jodi who told me about putting chunk pineapple in chicken salad and wow, it is really good.

I put in whatever I have and never use nuts. Onion, sliced green olives, red or green pepper, horseradish, grapes and celery if I have it on hand, mayo and of course the pineapple.

Anne

Mine is exactly like Glenda's. Just made it this afternoon. I like to let it "set up" a few hours before eating it.

This is said to be the Chicken Salad that was served to Queen Elizabeth II when she visited the University of Virginia and Monticello. I don't remember when that was.

þ c. mayonnaise
2 t. lemon juice
1 t. curry powder
2 t. soy sauce
2 c. cooked chicken, in large chunks
ü c. sliced water chestnuts
ý pound seedless grapes, halved
ý c. chopped celery
ý c. slivered almonds
1 8 oz. can pineapple chunks, drained

Mix mayo with lemon juice and seasonings, toss with remaining ingredients and chill several hours.

I haven't made it; just remembered keeping the recipe.

Sue

I make basic chicken salad (chunks of chicken, Hellmans' mayo, celery if I have it, pepper, a dash of salt) and throw in a handful or two of frozen peas. I love it with the peas in it and it looks prettier too!

For a simple chicken salad, buy a cooked rotisserie chicken, let it cool if needed, pick off the meat. Add chopped onion and celery and lots of mayo. I don't like food with nuts, even Asian food, just don't like to "crunch" when eating a meal. But I do like to snack on salted nuts.

Mix some honey in with your mayo; delicious!!! :) I also add some chopped yellow pepper, for the taste and some added color! :)

I make chicken salad every week for my SO. He is not crazy about adding a lot of stuff to it, So I cheat in a major way!
I buy fully cooked Tyson fajita strips, (give them a good squeeze to get out excess water.)
Chop up and add olive oil flavored mayo, relish and some fresh parmesan cheese if I have any, sometimes a hardboiled egg.
No frills.
If it were for me, I'd add dried cranberries, onions and celery

Well, thank you SO much for all these great ideas. Can't believe I made it to 51 before making my first batch of chicken salad! :)

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Rose

Here's one more, wth grapes and no nuts. Take a good amount of diced cooled cooked chicken, add a can of drsained Manadrin orange slices, an equal amount of green grapes, stems off. Mix together a half cup mayonnaise and a half cup sour cream. Stir everything together. Makes a great lunch dish. Looks nice served over large lettuce leaves, shaped into a "cup" to hold the chicken salad.