Lunch: All The Times I've Mentioned Chicken Salad
It occurred to me yesterday as I was suggesting what could possibly be my jillionth reference to chicken salad at lunchtime that I mention chicken salad a whole lot in this column. That's because to me, there is no greater or more universally appealing blank slate than a plain old pile of shredded leftover chicken, just waiting for your bidding. Will the binder be mayo — Japanese or American? Or possibly yogurt — regular or Greek? What's the crunch element? What does it go on? The answers to these questions and more, in today's edition of 11 Reasons You Should Eat Chicken Salad For Lunch.
- A strategic variation on chicken salad is a variation of chicken salad you made up because you never tried it. Here are 3 of my favorites.
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Coriander chutney, plain yogurt and a little lime juice yields chicken salad that's just itching to be wrapped in hot, fluffy naan. - Ultimate condiment mashup Chinese chicken salad. Hold the stupid canned mandarin orange segments, soggy sliced almonds and pointless crispy noodles. Thanks.
- FIGS!
- A great way to add a bright, tart flavor to your chicken salad without using citrus is sumac. This Middle Eastern spice gets bonus points for turning anything it touches a lovely shade of Nantucket red.
- Here's how to use pomegranate juice as your secret chicken salad weapon.
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Sub in ricotta for yogurt or mayo, but don't expect to go back to the way things were before. -
Either of these exotic condiments you very likely do not have in your fridge pump up chicken salad to celebrity status. As in "I can't believe it's still chicken." -
Alternative pestos love being incorporated into chicken salad. Kinda sounds like the indie band that went mainstream. Like Artichoke. The pesto, not the band. I've never heard the band. - Stuff any of these concepts into an avocado half.
- Or a tomato.
I promised you over a year ago that I'd get the random chicken salad idea generator up and running. Watch:
"Hey! How about that random chicken salad idea generator, guys?"
"Yup!"
"Alright!"
"Are you going to Minar for lunch?"
"Yes, I am."
"Can you get me a biryani?"
"Yes I can."
And that is how the random chicken salad idea generator gets made.
More great blank lunch canvases on Food Republic: