Marmalade Chicken Salad

I don’t know about you, but I love chicken salad. Still, as much as I love it, I do get tired of the same old thing. Sure, I can add more celery, raisins, or grapes, include almonds or pecans, but essentially it always seems to taste pretty much the same…until now. This morning, as I was smearing marmalade onto my piece of toast, I got to wondering how it would be in chicken salad. I generally love the combination of citrus and chicken, so decided to stir a little bit of my Homemade Orange Marmalade into the mayonnaise before combining all of the ingredients. It was excellent! It gave it a wonderful brightness, tiny hint of sweetness, and a much more complex flavor than your run-of-the-mill chicken salad. Try this, and serve it on a bed of lettuce with an orange muffin on the side, or as I did here, on a freshly baked croissant.

Marmalade Chicken Salad

1 T. orange marmalade
2 T. Duke’s mayonnaise
1 cooked chicken breast, diced
2/3 c. chopped celery
1/3 c. slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 t. Dijon mustard
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. onion powder
1/8 t. freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise and marmalade; set aside. In a medium bowl combine remaining ingredients. Fold marmalade/mayonnaise mixture into chicken salad, and stir to combine. Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator for up to two days.

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If you prefer your chicken salad warm, you will love this recipe for Hot Chicken Salad.

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Hot Chicken Salad

All the while I was growing up, and continuing until the very end of her life, my mother played bridge.  She was in a variety of bridge groups.  A bridge group, for the uninformed, consists of a table of four ladies, one of whom is the hostess and who provides the lunch; the other three are guests who rotate taking turns as hostess.  (Often times there are bridge parties, consisting of two to four tables of bridge with prizes given to the high scorers, but that's another matter.)  The bridge groups met regularly, so these active ladies could fully plan their schedules.  There was the “First Monday” bridge group, the “Second Tuesday” bridge group, and the “Third Thursday” bridge group.  Sometimes there were conflicts and the First Monday group would have to be moved to Tuesday, or the Second Tuesday group would be moved to the third Tuesday, or the Third Thursday group would be moved to Friday or the following Monday, unless that Monday happened to be a first Monday wherein it would be moved to Tuesday.  Does this sound a little bit like a “Who's on First?” routine?  Yep, it used to sound that way to me, too.

The women in these groups were avid players.  Nothing, and I do mean NOTHING, would stop them from a game, even, as it once turned out, poor health.  I will never forget one autumn gathering when, after the morning hands were played and a nice lunch consumed, one of the ladies simply slid off her chair and passed away at mother's bridge party.  I still remember my shocked mother's rather inappropriate, yet hilarious response, when, shaking her head sadly she said, “Well, at least she had a good lunch.”

Good lunches were a given.  One thing was for certain, a lot of chicken salad was served, and in endless varieties.  My mother grew to hate chicken salad over the years, and always strove to serve something unique.  I quite like chicken salad myself, this recipe in particular.  It is one that I copied down back in the early eighties when I first married, and seeking something to prepare that was delicious, yet uncomplicated.  Every time I eat it, I think, with fondness, of those bridge groups and the lovely ladies who comprised them.  I wonder if women still play bridge?  I never caught the bug, but I do play a mean game of gin, so if you do too, deal me in!

Hot Chicken Salad

1-1/2 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed
3/4 cup diced celery

1/4 cup diced scallions
1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons whole milk
1/2 cup sharp Cheddar, grated

1/2 cup Smoked Gouda, grated
2/3 cup crushed potato chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 2-quart ovenproof dish with vegetable spray and set aside.

Place roughly chopped pecans on a baking sheet, and then into the preheated oven; toast until aromatic, about 5-7 minutes.  Cool.

In a large mixing bowl combine the chicken, celery, scallions, cooled toasted pecans, garlic salt, pepper, lemon juice, mayonnaise, milk, and cheeses. Place the mixture in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the crushed potato chips on top to cover. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbly.

Serves 4 “Bridge Ladies”

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