Tasty Bites: All-Dressed-Up Chicken Salad

By Beth V

One of my favorite make-ahead lunch meals is chicken salad. Sometimes when we have had lunch company after church, I’ve made this chicken salad the day before so that it can be eaten quickly and easily when the hungry crew arrives. This recipe is delicious- lots of flavors and textures that complement each other very nicely. This is not your average chicken salad, although I enjoy traditional chicken salad as well. This chicken salad feels special enough to serve for a special tea or shower celebration or just to treat your family by keeping it in the refrigerator for lunches during the week.

If you have leftover chicken, feel free to use it, but if you are starting from scratch, here is my favorite way to make chicken for chicken salad. I use 3 pounds of bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the chicken on a baking sheet coated with foil or cooking spray. Brush the chicken with olive oil or spray the chicken with cooking spray.  Sprinkle the chicken generously with salt, pepper and garlic powder. When the oven is preheated, place in the oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.  Immediately remove the chicken from the oven and tent with foil for at least 15 minutes.  The chicken will continue cooking during those 15 minutes and the juices will distribute themselves evenly throughout the meat. Allow the chicken to cool until you are able to handle it comfortably with your fingers. Remove the skin and pull the meat off either by shredding it with two forks, or just pulling it apart with your fingers.  I think shredded chicken makes for the best-textured chicken salad. And when you cook it just until done and not a minute more, the chicken is so tender and juicy and easy to shred.

Click to read more ...