chicken salad, a.k.a. "mom food."

chickensalad11

The first time I made chicken salad, ever- in my whole life, was a few weeks ago when we went to visit Jason's family in California. It's not a food I would ever really think about making, honestly. Jason laughed this morning and described it as "total mom food." I grew up totally grossed out by mayonnaise, and my husband did me the "favor" of getting me into it. THANKS, HONEY. My first experiences with chicken salad were of the vegan variety- the Food Front Co-op in NW Portland has a RIDICULOUSLY tasty mock chicken salad in their deli case. I used to love going to get baked tofu sandwiches with a side of mock chicken salad, oh lord. Still, I never put much thought into how to make it, or even thought about making it at home.

chickensalad22

But yeah- mom food. Totally! Chicken salad- it seems so dated, so 1972 potluck! But it's also a really simple, easy, fairly tasty way to use up some chicken you have kicking around the bottom shelf, and that's just what I did. I poached the chicken, but you can do whatever you want, roast it, whatever. I think poaching is really easy and low-fuss. I don't usually poach anything because basically it is a fancy word for BOILING, and I am generally repulsed by the words "boiled chicken." But, for something simple like this, it works well. (Okay, I just looked up poaching and it seems I should be using lower heat. Well, "simmered chicken" is less repulsive than "boiled chicken" for sure.)

Recipe:

1 cooked chicken breast (I did mine a day in advance because I had too much crap to do in the kitchen yesterday to finish making the chicken salad all at once)
1 large carrot
1 large celery stalk
1/2 a yellow or white onion
large dollop of mayonnaise
a squirt of brown mustard
a splash of apple cider vinegar
salt & pepper to taste

Dice everything, shred the chicken, mix in a large bowl with condiments until everything is evenly coated. Eat as a side (picnics! pot lucks! afternoons in the park?) or in a sandwich. I made these on Trader Joe's flatbreads (yes, more TJ's) that I'd toasted in my toaster. They puff up in the toaster into little pocket breads, isn't that nice? I made the chicken salad first thing in the morning so my man could take some for lunch and then when I got the rumble belly this afternoon I just slopped some into a flatbread. Pretty easy. YES, MOM FOOD. No, my kid didn't like it. Ha!

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