chicken salad

[jazzyjas]

Let me preface this with the fact that I did a search and came up with a bazillion threads and got tired of not finding any recipes that helped me so if any of you long time BBs want to direct me to another thread that would be great (or have hints for limiting a search).
I was a vegetarian for 15 or so years and have only started cooking chicken in the past month or so (I've eaten it for about a year now). I am looking for a GREAT chicken salad recipe. Maybe one with grapes in it -- I'm open to anything -- actually I'm not sure that I've ever eaten chicken salad.

Jas

[comabri]

Here are two of my favorites:

Greek Chicken Salad

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: 1999 ISSUE: Jul/Aug PAGE: 144

INGREDIENTS FOR 8 SERVINGS:
3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (about 12 ounces)
1 cup diced seeded peeled cucumber
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons sliced pitted kalamata olives
3/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dried oregano
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 (6-inch) pitas, each cut in half
8 Boston lettuce leaves

INSTRUCTIONS:
"My brother Ernie's wife, Carolyn, makes a heavier version of this
recipe for family get-togethers. I thought it would be easy to
lighten. So I cut out some of the feta cheese and made a light
dressing using a combination of yogurt and light mayonnaise. It
turned out fantastic." --Billy Kutulas, Atlanta, Ga.

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine yogurt,
mayonnaise, oregano, and garlic in a small bowl. Pour over chicken
mixture; toss well. Cover and chill 2 hours.

2. Line each pita half with a lettuce leaf, and fill with 1/2 cup
chicken salad. Yield: 8 servings.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
CALORIES 234 (30% from fat); FAT 7.8g (sat 2.3g, mono 2.3g, poly
2.8g); PROTEIN 18.8g; CARB 21.4g; FIBER 1.2g; CHOL 48mg; IRON 1.9mg;
SODIUM 420mg; CALC 131mg

Recipe Copyright © Cooking Light Magazine

Also...

Grilled Chicken Salad With Tequila-Lime Mayo

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: 1997 ISSUE: June PAGE: 148

INGREDIENTS FOR 6 SERVINGS:
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup tequila
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-1/2 pounds skinned, boned chicken breast
Cooking spray
3/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons tequila
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
6 cups torn iceberg lettuce
2 medium tomatoes, each cut into 6 wedges

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal
bag; marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning bag occasionally.

2. Prepare grill. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Place
chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on
each side or until chicken is done. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch pieces.

3. Combine chicken, mayonnaise, and next 6 ingredients (mayonnaise
through red pepper) in a bowl; stir well. Place 1 cup lettuce on each
of 6 plates; top each with 2/3 cup chicken mixture and 2 tomato
wedges. Yield: 6 servings.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
CALORIES 234 (22% from fat); FAT 5.8g (sat 1.3g, mono 2.3g, poly
1.5g); PROTEIN 28.2g; CARB 10.6g; FIBER 1.3g; CHOL 72mg; IRON 1.7mg;
SODIUM 452mg; CALC 29mg

Recipe Copyright © Cooking Light Magazine

[sneezles]

Here is my absolute favorite chicken salad:

* Exported from MasterCook *

Chicken and Grape Salad

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 cups cooked breast meat -- diced
4 celery stalks -- diced
1/2 cup slivered almonds -- toasted
1/4 cup each, red and green seedless grapes -- cut in half
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Mayonnaise
salt and pepper -- to taste
romaine lettuce leaves
1 bunch spinach leaves
2 carrots -- thinly sliced
1 cucumber -- using the tines of a fork, run it the length of the cucumber all around the peel. Slice thinly, crosswise
4 green onions -- diced
1/2 cup jicama -- sliced into thin sticks
4 jumbo pasta shells -- cooked
chilled cooked asparagus
1 cup alfalfa sprouts
Herb Dressing
1 1/3 cups oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar or white balsamic
vinegar
2 tablespoons chives -- minced
2 tablespoons parsley -- minced
3 garlic cloves -- minced
1 teaspoon dried basil -- crumbled
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
dash cayenne pepper

Combine chicken, celery, almonds, grapes, jicama and lemon juice in small bowl. Add enough mayonnaise to moisten and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Combine all ingredients for Herb Dressing in jar with tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate until ready to use. Shake well before using.

Line individual plates with romaine and spinach leaves. Arrange carrot, cucumber, sprouts and green onions around edges.

Fill pasta shell with chicken mixture and place in middle of salad. Top with asparagus.

Serve dressing on the side.

[GayeC]

I don't have a recipe for this, but the ingredients are cooked chicken breasts (baked is best but boiled is OK), real mayonnaise, finely chopped celery, lemon juice, salt and pepper, garlic cloves, and raisins. The garlic and raisins are the key; they give it a yummy tangy-sweet taste.. I chop both of them in a food processor so that they are very fine, then mix with the other ingredients. Chill it several hours so the flavors mingle. Served with some fresh sliced tomatoes and fresh fruit this is a great summer dinner. Gaye

[masimmons]

I make mine kind of like GayeC, but instead of raisens and garlic, I mix curry powder with the mayo & lemon juice and pour it over the cut up chicken. I also cut up seedless grapes and add these too. I don't really know the amounts, mostly depends on how much chicken you are using and how much you like the taste of curry. One thing I have noticed is that the curry flavor seems to intensify after the chicken salad is refrigerated.

[kellysuea]

My favorite chicken salad has the following ingredients but I don't have the exact quantities with me, can get that for you tonight if you are interested...

Cooked chicken (I just boil some breasts)
orange juice
vinegar ( you marinate the cooked chicken in the orange juice and vinegar while you make everything else)

celery
grapes
madarin oranges
cooked rice
slivered almonds
mayo

I think thats it, my friends beg me to make this for summer get togethers!

[Karen from VA]

Sneezles, when I saw your recipe, I changed my mind on what to serve for lunch to four couples who will be coming to our cabin for lunch on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. (I will also be serving the ladies breakfast on Sunday and an afternoon meal to everyone on Sunday afternoon when the guys come back from golf, but that's another story.) Your chicken salad recipe sounds good because it's a little heartier with the veggies rather than just fruit. What have you served with it? Since we'll have men who will be antsy to get golfing, I want something hearty, but not heavy. I thought of also having a plate of fruit, a nice basket of assorted homemade bread and muffins, with some bars and cookies for dessert. Any other suggestions? Marinated tomatoes and cucumbers? I have such a problem putting menus together, I'd appreciate suggestions from anyone.

Karen