Recipe for Health: 'Great' chicken salad adds pecans, eggs

commercialappea ^ | July 27, 2009 | Megan Murphy

[JoeProBono]

[jimfree]

I’ve been adding pecans or walnuts since discovering the notion in about 1974.

[JoeProBono]

[OldMissileer]

The best chicken salad ever can be purchased at Wawa. No nuts either (yuck!).

[JoeProBono]

[Coldwater Creek]

This recipe has been printed in the Commercial Appeal hundreds of times over the years. They're just dragging it out again,because Memphis has had a bumper crop of pecans this year.

On a side note, I took a rode trip from Memphis to L.A. a few weeks ago, and was surprised to see tons of pecan groves across the desert.

[ex-Texan]

*Bump* ! for Pecans

[JoeProBono]

[Tainan]

For a little extra zing in potato and chicken salad I do this:
I add about a tablespoon of wasabi to a cup of mayo and a 1/2 cup of oil - either good olive oil (no real need for EV) or grapeseed oil. Mix it up well and add to the mix and stir. Some fresh black pepper and a bit of sea salt along with some basic dried herbs - thyme, rosemary, basil...things like that. I put it in a big stainless mixing bowl in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Good stuff on its own and also for some good "sandwiches" on hearty bread or toast. Some chopped sweet pickles and/or sweet relish are another good addition.

[dmz]

spicy grilled chicken salad with sliced grapes and slivered almonds for me, thanks.

[dmz]

good olive oil = EV
(IMO)

[Maverick68]

Our local bakery has a great Taragon Chicken Salad that I’ve yet to duplicate!

[JoeProBono]

[Rebelbase]

Like mine with apples, walnuts and a bit of curry.

[dmz]

The curry is an excellent touch.

[GOPJ]

...researchers placed volunteers on a diet that replaced 20 percent of their calories with pecans. After eight weeks, their total cholesterol had dropped 11.5 percent and their LDL cholesterol, often called the "bad" cholesterol, had decreased by 16.5 percent.

Someone needs to send this to the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

[T Minus Four]

Mmmm, is that wasabi powder or prepared wasabi paste?

[mupcat]

Like mine with apples, walnuts and a bit of curry

Reminds me of the Waldorf Salad I make with chicken. Really good. I do a normal Waldorf Salad (apple chunks, walnuts, celery, raisins, with a Waldorf dressing) and then add chunks of chicken. So good and refreshing!

[Tainan]

Paste from a squeeze tube. You must be careful now when you buy wasabi. There is a lot of counterfeit, fake, wasabi product being sold. If its too cheap and the color 'just doesn't look right' beware of fake product. Usually its best to buy it at a Japanese market or a reputable store that will check for you that its the real deal.
I also have been known to add wasabi to eggs...Mmmm...datsa spicy!

[Tainan]

"good olive oil = EV (IMO)"

I quite agree. However in this preparation, the flavor of a good (the only kind I use!) EV olive oil can be a bit strong for this dish.
I like to use EV when it can be appreciated for what it brings. In this, with the hard-boiled eggs and the 'lighter' fare, it can quickly turn a bit 'musty' and strong in the mix.
(yeah...thats personal experience speaking...lol..cook, eat and learn!))