Chicken Salad Recipe -- Classic and Perfect Every Time

Here in the South we all love chicken salad. Of course, you will find all the trendy kinds of chicken salad in little quaint restaurants with pineapple, pecans, apples, Currey, walnuts, or other different and interesting ingredients. However, most people love the chicken salad your grandmother made. Traditional Southern Chicken Salad has always been surprisingly illusive for those trying to make it. There are some ingredients necessary to the perfect chicken salad recipe that many people may not realize are even in it, and they may not even like these items on their own. Leave one of them out, and you miss it!

Finally, at middle age, I can make chicken salad. If you regularly read my articles, you know I am all about the "quick and easy" way to do anything. Whether it's crafts or cooking, I do it the quick and easy way. Chicken salad is actually not that difficult to make, if you know what to do. I use boneless, skinless frozen tenderloins that I boil for a fresh chicken taste and none of the mess. Although I do sometimes use canned chicken for casseroles and salad, I really like the frozen chicken better.

My family likes this on toasted whole wheat bread. If you attend any sort of shower, reception or other function in the South, you will be served chicken salad on croissants. It is also good on a salad platter. The good thing about this recipe, without grapes, is that it keeps well. It is even better the next day. The chicken salad recipe with grapes can get a little wilted looking.

Ingredients:

Cooked chicken: 3 1/2 cups

Chopped Onion: 2 cups
Chopped Celery: 1 cup
Chopped Bread and butter Pickles: 1 cup
Mayonnaise: 1 cup
Mustard: 2 tablespoons
Sugar: 2 tablespoons
Apple Cider Vinegar: 2 tablespoons
Salt, pepper: liberal amounts
Dried parsley and celery salt: lightly

Instructions:

Boil the chicken until done. Flake it with your hands, after it cools a little bit.

Add finely chopped vegetables and pickles.

In a separate bowl, mix mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar and sugar. Add salt, pepper and spices. Be very light handed with the parsley and celery salt.

Mix with Chicken and chill.