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Home » Recipes

The Chicken Salad of My Childhood

The Chicken Salad of My Childhood on 100 Days of Real Food

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Among the list of foods I knew how to make when I left for college were boxed macaroni and cheese, chicken breasts baked in (highly processed store bought) Italian dressing, canned crescent rolls, and chicken salad. Let me tell you what - my cooking skills at the time were nothing to brag about.

I have no idea why I didn't show more interest in learning how to cook or why my parents didn't put me to work more, but, as a child, unless I was eating I (surprisingly) spent very little time in our kitchen.

My cooking abilities have changed quite a bit since then (thankfully), but it's hard to beat the nostalgia of familiar things from the old days. So I was a little caught off guard at the grocery store when I stumbled upon an organic version of the staple ingredient of my childhood chicken salad - canned chicken! I didn't know you could buy organic canned chicken now!

So I just had to buy a few cans and try to recreate what I remembered. Granted, the recipe includes store bought mayonnaise, which is technically a rule breaker that we do indulge in on occasion, but that's how it's done.

Funny enough, not long after I bought those cans of chicken, our Advertising Manager, Kiran, asked how I would feel about working with Valley Fresh - the maker of organic canned chicken I had literally just purchased!

I was like, "Are you spying on me or something?" There's nothing better than working with sponsors whose products I use and love regardless, so it was obviously a perfect fit.

Making everything from scratch, including cooking all your own chicken, is a wonderful goal, but sometimes life simply gets in the way and the convenience of already cooked chicken can make all the difference. And when it's certified USDA organic with simple ingredients that don't include antibiotics or anything artificial, there's nothing to be guilty of whatsoever.

The Chicken Salad of My Childhood on 100 Days of Real Food
The Chicken Salad of My Childhood on 100 Days of Real Food

The Chicken Salad of My Childhood

My family gobbled up this chicken salad and asked for more, and it took me no time at all to pull it together using organic canned chicken. It's a super simple recipe that I remember enjoying when I was a kid. Make sure to pair it with whole-grain crackers for a yummy snack.
5 Reviews / 5 Average
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Total Time: 10 minutes mins
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: American
Method: Freezer Friendly
Diet: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Peanut/Tree Nut-Free
Print Recipe
Servings: 4 people
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Ingredients
  

  • 2 5-oz cans chicken (organic, drained and shredded, I used Valley Fresh Organic brand)
  • ¼ cup relish (or finely diced pickles)
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • ⅛ teaspoon garlic salt
  • relish juice (or pickle juice)

Instructions
 

  • Stir together all ingredients until well combined. Serve over whole-wheat crackers or fried green tomatoes.

Notes

We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
The Chicken Salad of My Childhood
Amount Per Serving
Calories 43 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 3mg1%
Sodium 319mg14%
Potassium 12mg0%
Carbohydrates 5g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 25IU1%
Iron 0.2mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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As I mentioned in the recipe, this chicken salad is simply fabulous over the Fried Green Tomatoes I posted last week!

Chicken Salad over Fried Green Tomatoes on 100 Days of Real Food

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1.4K shares

About Lisa Leake

Lisa is a wife, mother, foodie, blogger, and #1 New York Times Best-selling author who is on a mission to cut out processed food.

Comments

  1. Jesi says

    August 26, 2020 at 8:29 pm

    5 stars
    Just made for work lunch tomorrow. I wanted something different but super easy and quick. I used garlic powder instead of garlic salt just cuz that’s what I had. I taste tested it and it was super good with lots of flavor flav! Excited about tomorrow’s lunch now!

    Reply
    • 100 Days Admin says

      August 27, 2020 at 1:08 pm

      Awesome! Glad you liked it. - Nicole

      Reply
  2. Ana says

    August 23, 2020 at 11:38 pm

    5 stars
    Pretty good and super easy to make.

    Reply
  3. Ann says

    July 24, 2019 at 12:42 pm

    I looked up the garlic salt that is used in this recipe. Is there a concern about the silicone dioxide (an anti agent)?

    Reply
    • 100 Days Admin says

      September 04, 2019 at 1:33 pm

      Hi Ann,
      Hopefully, this article will help you out: https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/is-silicon-dioxide-in-supplements-safe#in-food-and-supplements
      - Nicole

      Reply
  4. Leah Groden says

    October 12, 2017 at 5:16 pm

    I hope the chicken was cooked it does not say that anywhere on the can. By the time I got home with the can you were closed.

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      October 19, 2017 at 9:10 am

      Yes, it is cooked. :)

      Reply
  5. Sarah says

    September 25, 2016 at 2:48 pm

    I tried this as-is and it was very tasty! The sweetness from the relish goes great with savory triscuit crackers! Can't wait to put this in my husband's lunch!

    Reply
    • Donna says

      September 26, 2016 at 4:54 pm

      5 stars
      I have this recipe at least three times a week for lunch - crave it ! I do love my Triscuits too - gotten to where I throw them in the bowl and crunch up with my fork - YUM ! I do prefer to use tuna most of the time. Gotta try some of the mayo subs!

      Reply
  6. Candace says

    June 28, 2016 at 9:51 pm

    Why not sub the mayo for Greek yogurt? This is my fave!

    Reply
  7. Tanya says

    May 27, 2016 at 1:03 am

    You can substitute mayo with avocado for a healthier version. We love it!

    Reply
  8. Claudia says

    May 26, 2016 at 7:16 pm

    I'd be concerned about BPA in the can lining.

    Reply
  9. Erin says

    May 25, 2016 at 7:24 pm

    This is exactly the way my family made it, too, although my dad usually used tuna. Pretty tasty!

    Reply
  10. Phoebe says

    May 25, 2016 at 7:01 pm

    You could use veganaise as a mayo substitute! We do it often!

    Reply
  11. Michelle Menegaz says

    May 25, 2016 at 4:53 pm

    Are the cans lined with plastic??

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      June 03, 2016 at 11:30 am

      Hi there. Here is their website : http://www.valleyfresh.com/product.php?name=chicken-organic.

      Reply
  12. Lisa J. says

    May 25, 2016 at 2:07 pm

    Wow, I feel like I've missed out! :-) Our chicken salad was either shredded or diced cooked chicken with mayo, curry powder, sliced almonds, and diced apples. Or change out the apples and almonds for sliced grapes and chopped green olives. Never tried it this way, but think I just might...

    Reply
  13. Allison says

    May 25, 2016 at 1:19 pm

    Lisa - one of the main reasons I follow your blog and buy your book(s) :) is because you live in the REAL world while you are trying your best to eat and serve REAL food. Thank you for keeping it real. My world does not involve cooking three times a day. It's so great to discover these shortcuts. Thank you! From the bottom of my heart, thank you. :)

    Reply
  14. Emm says

    May 25, 2016 at 12:26 pm

    Love chicken salad! But I've never been a fan of pickles in my chicken salad. I prefer just celery and onion, or curry and raisin, or grapes and walnuts, or cranberries and a dash of cinnamon. I also try to freeze any leftover chicken for quick chicken salads. Canned foods are on my "hardly ever, if ever" list of foods to eat, no matter if they are BPA free or not. Definitely makes food preparation a little more time-consuming, but it helps me to prepare foods from scratch!

    Reply
  15. Amie Melnychuk says

    May 25, 2016 at 10:32 am

    This is the same as my mom's ham salad :) All the town family dances had two loaves of mom's ham salad sandwiches, made from the saltiest canned ham ever. But were amazing when washed down with a cup of Tang, after you had been shaking your sillies out or playing in a massive water fight.

    Reply
  16. Tone says

    May 25, 2016 at 6:25 am

    5 stars
    Thanks for a great memory! Chicken and tuna salad was my staple dish when I left home as well...it's so great when you can make them fresh for your family. As always, thanks for another quick and easy recipe.

    Reply
  17. Gold coast says

    May 25, 2016 at 1:35 am

    The chicken salad recipe is so useful it gives me a lot of pleasure in doing with basic ingredients. Sharing the post is so useful for me. Thanks a lot !!!

    Reply
  18. Kristen says

    May 24, 2016 at 12:45 pm

    Don't forget hard boiled eggs! What kind of pickles do you buy? I have a hard time finding pickles without artificial colors (and why do pickles need artificial colors anyway???)

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      May 25, 2016 at 3:00 pm

      Real Pickles is a good brand!

      Reply
  19. LeeAnn says

    May 23, 2016 at 10:17 pm

    5 stars
    The most helpful "kitchen hack" I learned is how to easily shed chicken! After it's boiled, simply put warm chicken chunks in the blender until it's the desired sized chunks. The best part??? Freeze the leftovers! I made chicken salad in 10 minutes today, start to finish! I did pull out the chicken to thaw for an hour, but because I have a year old, my chunks are tiny and it's quick to thaw! Another tip... I also chop up and freeze onions. I threw em in frozen and mixed up the chicken salad... By the time we were ready to eat, perfect!!

    Reply
  20. Megan says

    May 23, 2016 at 7:32 pm

    I always make chicken salad with the leftovers from your Best Whole Chicken in a Crockpot recipe! WAY better than canned!!

    Reply
  21. Ashley says

    May 23, 2016 at 4:29 pm

    That's how I make mine too, with the addition of some onion (all the time) and celery (if I have it)

    Reply
  22. Taste of France says

    May 23, 2016 at 10:35 am

    Makes me think of my mom, who not only liked pickles in her chicken (or tuna) salad, but also diced celery for even more crunch. And onion! Always onion!

    Reply

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Meet Lisa! Lisa is a best-selling cookbook author, wife, mother, and passionate home cook. Lisa began blogging in 2010 and has created a community of millions of people who share her love of healthy living, real food ingredients, and family recipes.

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