Chicken Salad Sandwich

Chicken Salad Sandwich. Sounds pretty plain right?

Hmmm... now that I think of it, I do like it pretty plain!

You will never find fruit or nuts in my chicken salad... YUCK!!

Anyway... mine is very simple!



But before I start, I must warn you that more often than not, I use canned chicken for chicken salad.

I was watching 30 Minute Meals with Rachael Ray one time and she was talking about canned chicken. She said someone mentioned it to her and she couldn't believe it even existed! Then started with, "Come on now! How hard is it to poach a chicken breast?! It doesn't take any time at all!"

Now most people either Love or Hate Rachael. I love her. But I have to say, canned chicken has it's place in a kitchen.

I mostly just use it for chicken salad. But it has found its way into a casserole or dip or two along the way.

So when I need breakfast and want half a chicken salad sandwich, unless I thought of it the night before, it wouldn't happen without canned chicken.

Who has time to poach a chicken breast before work? I roll outta bed... put out some breakfast for Bob, grab breakfast for myself, jump into the shower, throw on some clothes and run out the door. This takes about 40 minutes, tops.

If I had to poach a chicken breast to have chicken salad, that breakfast idea would get scrapped and I'd end up with a McSkillet burrito from the drivethru on my way to work!

So anyway...

Canned chicken does have its place in the kitchen.

Well hey... I bake desserts Rachael... so let's call it a wash! I still love you!

Alrighty then... now that I've gotten that off my chest....

Back to my Basic Chicken Salad.

No real recipe and it changes a little based on which herbs I can actually put my hands on.

So I start with, yes, canned chicken (or leftover chicken)


I'm not a slave to any brand. I just buy whichever is on sale, all breast meat, packed in water.

Drain off water and put the chicken in a bowl.


Flake it apart with a fork.


Then add a dollop of light (NOT fat free) mayo.


I like just enough to hold it all together and not too squishy.


Ok... lately I've been on a dill kick.... but where's the dill????


Yeah... there's another pantry with more herbs & spices... and a section of my counter with my 'most used' herbs & spices that look similar to that mess.

But I couldn't find the dill.

Almost a sad face... until I remembered that even though we've had at least two hard frosts... I still have crack dill!!!



SCORE!





Plus some celery salt and celery seed... and more dill... I found it when I was looking for the celery seed!



But totally forgot the poultry seasoning and onion powder! D'oh!

Anyway... mix that all up.


Now for some nice seedy 12 grain.


Add chicken salad and a side of chips!


Yeah... that's not very pretty is it?


It would be much prettier with some lettuce, tomato and red onion.

Sometimes I put the chips inside the sandwich.




Mmmmm.... Crunchy!

If I was making Chicken Salad to be consumed when it was made, all of it... I'd add diced onion and diced celery (but still celery salt & seed... I LOVE celery flavors). But most times when I make Chicken Salad, it's so that I can have half sandwiches for breakfast for a few days. When I put the diced onion in the salad... the flavor gets a little overwhelming the longer it's in the fridge.

1/4 cup of Chicken Salad is a perfect serving for half a sandwich. Nice when you're paying attention to what you're eating. (which since I crammed my sammie full of chips, obviously I'm NOT!)

So when I put it in the fridge... I scoop all of the Chicken Salad into 1/4 cup sized balls.



Breafast, lunch or dinner... I love Chicken Salad!!