This is where it all began. In 2001, I began experimenting in the kitchen and I came up with this recipe. At the time, I was working at a preschool in Mount Pleasant, SC. Some of the other teachers ask me to make it for them. Then I began helping with events. This snowballed into this beautiful and fun career. It feels fitting that I share this one with you. It keeps for 3-4 days if you can make extra and it doesn’t get gobbled up on day 1.
Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Whole chicken
1 onion quartered
4 celery stalks chopped (ends saved for broth)
garlic bulb cut in half
table spoon pepper corns
kosher salt
6 scallions chopped (save ends for broth)
fresh cilantro chopped (save ends for broth)
1/2 cup hellmann’s mayo
2 table spoons toasted sesame oil
2 cups red seedless grapes cut in half (make sure they are firm!)
Directions
You begin this recipe by simmering your whole chicken in water. Place chicken in a large pot, add onion, halved garlic bulb, pepper corns, a dash of salt, ends of celery, ends of scallions, and ends of cilantro. Then cover with filtered water. Bring to a boil and simmer for one hour. Don’t boil on high. Just a low simmer. Remove the chicken from the pot carefully. The meat should begin to fall off the bone. Once cool, and able to handle, remove all meat and separate into a big bowl. Place bones back into your broth plus any other veggies you need to get rid of. You can simmer this for another hour or so making a nice stock for soup for another time.
Chop all your meat to make bite size pieces then place back into a big bowl. Add chopped scallions, cilantro, mayo, grapes and sesame oil. Mix well. Add salt and pepper to your liking. Enjoy alone, on a salad, with crackers, or a sandwich. Enjoy!