I am actually making this for lunch today along with a coleslaw and also a garden salad and toasted bread. So everyone can choose which they want it served up on top of, or they can mix it all up together, or they can just plate it all up as individual servings of each.
The dressing is good on other salads or as a sandwich spread — a slight twist and variation of my grandmother’s “Secret Sauce” sandwich spread and dip recipe.
Great as a meal, a snack, or an appetizer. It even makes a great sandwich. I like it between toasted bread slices with Swiss cheese, lettuce or spinach, and tomatoes. It is also good stuffed into a pita pocket with coleslaw and diced tomatoes.
Adjust ingredients and seasonings to taste if desired.
Sadly, I can no longer tolerate fresh onions if they are left uncooked, and don’t care for the texture of sauteed onion in this recipe, however, I am now using an assortment of colors of diced Sweet Baby Bell Peppers and/or black olive slices along with a bit of additional onion powder or dried onion flakes in the salad ingredients. It tastes good but I really do miss the taste of the red onion that I used to make it with. The point I’m trying to make being that you can very easily change things up as desired to suit personal preference and needs.
Tam’s Colorful Chicken Salad
Dressing:
1-1/2 cups mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
1/2 cup sour cream (or substitute plain Greek yogurt)
3 to 4 Tbsp. Dijon, Honey Dijon, or Spicy Brown Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 to 3 Tbsp. ketchup
1/4 cup pickle relish with diced pimento
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
a dash of hot sauce or to taste (optional)
a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or to taste (optional)
Salad:
1/2 to 1 whole Ambrosia apple, small, diced (skin on)
2 large Roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/4 to 1/2 cup broccoli florets, cut small
1/2 to 1 cup dried cranberry raisins
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
4 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch cubes — or substitute 4 to 5 cans of chicken (4.5 ounces each), well drained
In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients together; set aside. May adjust seasonings to taste.
Toss remaining salad ingredients together in a large bowl. Add quantity desired of the dressing and toss to coat.
If any remaining dressing, serve on the side so that individuals may add additional dressing if desired. Refrigerate remaining dressing (if any) in airtight container or jar.
Chill salad well, covered, in the refrigerator before serving.
Serving Suggestions:
Salad Plate: Serve on a bed of mixed shredded cabbages and/or broccoli slaw or serve on a bed of mixed garden salad greens. If desired, top with shredded Swiss or other cheeses, slices of hard boiled egg, black olives, slices of sweet pickled beets, and bacon crumbles.
Sandwiches: Also great served as on top of toasted French or Italian bread slices, or between two slices of toasted bread with or without melted Swiss cheese and lettuce or spinach, and tomato, or it is also really good stuffed into a pita bread pocket with prepared coleslaw and diced tomato.
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