Suggestion re: having salad ready for guests -- wouldn't trust the chicken to wait that long for them, so: saute cubed chicken in seasoned broth, can even use some curry, garlic, etc., add dressing (mayo, yogurt, sour cream, whatever) and put it in a baggie and freeze it. Put other ingredients except nuts in another baggie in the refrigerator. Put the nuts in the intended serving bowl with a note telling them where to find the chicken and other stuff. Unless they are seriously kitchen-challenged, you can tell them to thaw the chicken overnight in the refrigerator or thaw it out (IN the baggie) in warm water for an hour or so. If they are seriously kitchen-challenged, try to convince them that curried-chicken-popsicles are what's in this year.

No. Don't freeze chicken with mayo -- it will alter the consistency of both mayo and sour cream. Thawing it in warm water will add insult to injury.

The chicken will be fine. You have salt, you have acid in the mix -- both natural preservatives.

B/

Freezing mayonnaise or any dish made with uncooked mayonnaise is not recommended.

As to storage, most food safety sites recommend holding food such as chicken salad in the refrigerator for around three days. That's not to say it would be dangerous to eat after that time, but it would not have the same taste that a freshly prepared dish would. The other worry I would have is if my electricity went off while I was away---as ours often does in these summer storms, sometimes for several hours. You'd come back to chicken salad that looked perfectly fine, but hadn't been kept below 40 degrees F the entire time.

Hmm, how about using those Nuggets sold in Super, or purchasing at McD or BK? I bet they last at least 2 months in the fridge....

Kidding aside, will abide by the "separate" approach; they can always call for delivery!

Gracias!

kswl, are you driving up to the Atlanta GTG?

Y'all are right about freezing things with mayonnaise -- I forgot that, since I never ever use it anyway. Thanks for the catch.

And it's true that freezing the chicken will alter the consistency, but so will leaving it with any citrus juice for 3-4 days. I figured it was less of a danger to "insult" guests with chicken that's been frozen than chicken that's too old.

Yes, Starrsville, I'm planning to come to the GTG, probably by myself, husband on call that weekend. Would love to spend the night with my mom in Buckhead except for that long drive back Sunday a.m. for church.

It sounds now as though we should have planned that most Southern (or Midwestern) of events: a POTLUCK SUPPER. There's a great cook in London named Kate who's on the Europe board, maybe we could fly her in!

Good point about holding chicken with lemon juice, the meat gets a stringy quality.

Gpaul, you are the most considerate of hosts/hostesses to be concerned about your guests while you are out of town. And what a subject for a science experiment: the refrigerator shelf life of chicken nuggets. I haven't eaten them since someone "in the business" told me they contain fish paste. UGH!

Tks kswl.

Fish paste.... probably one of the most "natural" ingredients in those little critters!

Turning back to TRAVEL, I think the best chicken salad I've had is served at the Bluebird Restaurant in Leland, Mich.

Not only is it wonderful, but sitting by the large windows looking out on a blue-green river with ducks, beautiful flowers and looking forward to the rest of the day touring the Leelenau Peninsula.

P.S. I put a little poultry seasoning in mine.

Has anyone tried the chicken salad recipe featured in the book, "Itty Bitty Lies" by Mary Kay Andrews?
have enjoyed her books. They are light and fun.

I haven't, but would love to try it. Please share it here.

I'll share a recipe for a "quick" JL chicken salad that you wouldn't recognize as the real thing. Get a small can of Sweet Sue white chicken, add a couple tablespoons of pickle relish, stir in mayo to your liking, and sprinkle in a little onion powder. In less than 5 minutes, you can have a great chicken salad. If you want to add anything like nuts or celery, that will take a little extra time. This is from a lifetime resident of Baton Rouge, no less, so I suppose it might be another one of those southern secrets.

hey, what happened to the "tips for those visiting the South" thread? that was REALLY funny!

I had some good "tips for visiting the North" to add...

Like

-- The Civil War is over. you lost. get over it.

--we're busy and we work hard. we do't have 20 minutes to BS. just please give me what I ordered.

-- my favorite is when southeners say the civil war wasn't about slavery. HELLO!

Oh good grief. Please don't do this.

I was just hoping the editors wouldn't pull this before I got a good chicken salad recipe. Surprised it's still bouncing around, but pul-lease....

don't turn this into a N vs. S thread.

Beat your dead horse somewhere else.