Hit me with your favorite chicken salad recipe!

[lovin2shop]

I'm hosting 12 people this week, and I need an easy, casual, make ahead meal. I'm thinking chicken salad for the main course, but need a good recipe. Also, would love suggestions for good sides or appetizers to go with it. I only have about an hour and a half to prepare after getting home for work, so they need to be mostly make ahead type options.

[infomama]

Ina Garten's chicken salad Veronique is absolutely delicious.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chicken-salad-veronique-recipe/index.html

[maybeebaby08]

Costco Rotisserie chicken, chopped up, low-fat mayo (must be low fat), Lawrys seasoning, and pepper. Mix together and taste as you, you can add celery & onions if you like.

[crl]

I don't really have an exact recipe, but my chicken salad consists of

Cooked shredded chicken
Chopped onion
Chopped celery
Dried cranberries or dried cherries
Chopped walnuts
Mayo
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

I would do a fruit plate to go with it.

For appetizers, maybe a cheese spread or cheese ball with crackers?

Catherine

[crayonblue]

I made this curry fruited chicken salad for a party a few months ago and every sandwich was gobbled up and people kept asking about the recipe. It is GOOD!!!! I used raisin bread.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Fruited-Curry-Chicken-Salad/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=curry%20chicken%20fruit%20salad&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

[stinkyfeet]

I made this curry fruited chicken salad for a party a few months ago and every sandwich was gobbled up and people kept asking about the recipe. It is GOOD!!!! I used raisin bread.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Fruited-Curry-Chicken-Salad/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=curry%20chicken%20fruit%20salad&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

:yeahthat: I make this all the time (but just with apples, raisins, curry to keep it simple). It's delicious. I use the costco rotisserie chicken.

I forgot to add that its great with croissants--Costco sells big packs. Good luck!

[Tondi G]

sounds like the chicken salad is covered but for sides I would serve
fruit salad
pasta salad (which you could make up the day before)
caprese salad (grape tomatoes, small balls of fresh mozzarella, fresh basil (I just use scissors to cut it up), salt, pepper, EVOO and a drizzle of Balsamic (or put the balsamic on the side for people to add if they like) ... serve with sliced baguette.
Cheese and crackers
you could do a spinach artichoke dip and serve with tortilla chips
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/09/hot-spinach-and-artichoke-dip.html

[brittone2]

A fav restaurant when we lived in a different state had a wonderful one with tarragon and halved grapes in a mayo base.

I also like green onion and chunks of apple. Sometimes with curry powder.

For plain, I like to do garlic powder and sea salt on shredded chicken (shred cooked breasts in the food processor), and then mix in the mayo. For some reason, the order seems important to it coming out nicely.

[Jen841]

I love curried chicken salad,Waldorf chicken salad, and a deli in NYC makes one with:
Chicken
Celery
Mayo
Onion
Cranberries
Blue cheese

For short cut you can use canned chicken breast or rotisserie chicken.

I make buffalo chicken salad with chicken with buffalo sauce cooked in the crockpot put on salad greens with carrots and celery chopped up. For dressing we use blue cheese or ranch. A staple our house.

[lovin2shop]

Thanks everyone! I ended up doing the Barefoot Contessa recipe mentioned above (it is with grapes, mayo, celery, and tarragon). It was very tasty! I used rotisserie chicken since I was too lazy to roast a chicken. My technique for cutting up the chicken could use improvement, since I tried to shred it with a fork. It was a bit mushy, think I should have gone ahead and chopped with a knife. But overall, was a nice make ahead, quick serve option.

Eta: Tondi, I did use your suggestion of the Caprese salad to go with and that was even more popular.