Not too long ago, I had a delicious chicken salad sandwich near work. The salad was tasty, seasoned well, with just the right amount of dressing. Plus, the roll bread was oh-so-soft. I had the same sandwich another time and was disappointed because the chicken was dry and the bread was stale. I was not going back to pay $10.
I was on the prowl again for another chicken salad sandwich and the third one was worse at another place. I was not particularly fond of the cranberries and walnuts in the salad. And I barely tasted the chicken.
After about one month, I searched again for "the" chicken sandwich, only to put my order in at the third place and was instead given chicken of the sea.
My disappointments led to my creating my own chicken salad sandwich. I was determined to make it taste as good (if not better) than the first one I had. I searched for inspiration on many sites online but eventually ended up being inspired by The Pioneer Woman's recipe which I tweaked to make my own.
The result? It was delish! Moist, chunky chicken pieces in mayo dressing with a hint of dill was to die for.
You will need:
3 pieces boneless and skinless chicken breasts
2 stalks celery
2 stalks green onion
2 stems fresh dill
1 cup real mayonnaise (don't use Miracle Whip as the result will greatly vary)
1/2 cream or half and half
1 T white OR brown sugar
2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Here's how to make:
1. Boil chicken until no longer pink. This should take about 20 minutes depending on your heat. Check for done-ness. When cooked, drain for about 30 minutes then slice into 1/4 inch cubes. You want to make sure that the chicken is well drained so that your salad does not become watery. Set in a bowl.
2. Slice celery and green onions like relish. Small enough, but not finely chopped. You want to be able to chew and crunch on them in the salad. Place in the same bowl as the chicken.
3. Mince dill and add to chicken bowl. Dill adds a pickle flavor to the salad, as if you've put pickle relish in it when you really haven't!
4. In a separate bowl, make the dressing by whisking the mayonnaise, cream (or half and half), sugar, and lemon juice together. Whisk well until thoroughly blended. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remember that the chicken was not seasoned, so season well. Add more sugar, salt, or pepper to your liking. Some people also add tarragon for extra flavor and you may wish to do so. I just did not have any on-hand, so it's not essential for me.
5. Pour the dressing over the chicken and other ingredients. Fold the dressing in gently and care not to over mix. As soon as the chicken and other vegetables are coated, stop mixing. As you can see in the photo below, you can tell the celery and green onions in the mix.
6. Best to chill overnight and serve with lettuce and/or in your favorite bread. I used a croissant because it's light and can still hold the salad.
Bacon tips:
I have heard some people eat chicken salad sandwich with strips of bacon. Sounds devilish and so worth a try!
Others, too, have added crumbled bacon for extra crunch. As they say, bacon makes anything better.
Hope you enjoy this as much as I did! No more $10 sandwiches for me!
