Two Takes on Chicken Salad

Chicken salad is one of those things that everyone can...and should...make for themselves. I always think homemade is better than anything you can buy...even at fancy gourmet stores. And it's especially simple these days--grocery rotisserie chickens and salad bars make it a breeze.

I have a basic recipe for chicken salad that is quite adaptable. You can add or subtract ingredients to make it your own.

For a good family-size batch (with enough for a sandwich from the leftovers), start with about six cups of chopped cooked chicken. Now, my southern-raised, Junior League-trained friends would say to use white meat only, but, if you'd like to include dark meat (which I think adds a lot of flavor), one whole chicken will provide you about the right amount of meat.

Now, you can get your cooked chicken in a variety of ways:

1. Poach four chicken breasts (bone-in or boneless) or a whole chicken cut up in enough water to cover, salt and pepper, and some onion and celery if you've got them. Bring to a simmer and cook for twenty minutes. Remove the chicken and strain the broth. (Surprise....you just made homemade chicken stock. Save it and use in place of water when you make rice or stuffing. Or freeze to use later.)
2. Grill four chicken breasts using your favorite basic seasonings.
3. Go to the grocery and buy a rotisserie chicken. Easiest of all!

• Remove the skin and take the chicken off the bone. Chop, using knife or kitchen shears, or tear with your hands (my messy, but preferred method).
• Add 1 cup mayonnaise.
• Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped green onions and 1/4 to 1/2 cup celery. (Remember the salad bar? This is looking easier, huh?)
• Stir in a pinch of kosher salt and a teaspoon of lemon juice (doesn't make it lemony...just brightens the flavor a bit).

Voila! It's ready to eat--as is or in a sandwich. I especially like it in pita bread.

But, you can take it a step or two farther. Here are some other things you could add as you see fit. Mix and match...you probably won't want to add them all at once. The measurements are only a guide. Add as much or little as you'd like.

--1 teaspoon curry powder (Frankly, this has become a part of my standard house recipe.)
--3/4 cup seedless red or green grapes
--1/2 cup toasted almonds, pecans, walnuts or pine nuts
--1/2 cup dried cranberries
--3/4 cup diced avocado

Put on your chef's hat and experiment..the possibilities are endless.

A little imagination is how I came up with this next version. I'm a sucker for chicken enchiladas. So, I invented a way to bring some of the same flavors to chicken salad.

Start with the basic recipe, but substitute lime juice for the lemon juice if you can. Then add 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1 small can chopped green chiles. Mix. Ole! It's that easy. (I even cut up a few tortillas with scissors and baked them for 15 minutes at 400 degrees to go with the salad. Added a nice crunch.)

I'm sure you could come up with an Asian-style chicken salad by adding water chestnuts and sesame oil or make a Thai style with some basil and jalapeno. Go for it. It's a fun, simple way to make a meal special.--take a basic, easy recipe and make it your own. (You'll soon see that's one of my universal kitchen philosophies.) Would love to hear what you come up with.