If chicken salad is on the menu, I’ll order it. I’ve had decent chicken salad, bad chicken salad, and really bad chicken salad. But what I rarely find at a restaurant is a really good chicken salad.

I ask for a lot. I want big chunks of juicy chicken, not chicken obliterated into a fibrous paste. As much as I love mayonnaise, I don’t want a drippy mess when I bite into my sandwich but I do need something to hold it all together. I like a binder complimentary to the other flavors: mayo for traditional chicken salad or an Italian version with a little pesto added, plain yogurt for a Greeky twist, raspberry yogurt for a ladies’ lunch or shower brunch appetizer, and sour cream for either a South-of-the-Rio version or just when I’m out of mayo and yogurt.

There should be crunch. There must be crunch! Tart apples, roasted pecans, or roasted walnuts are good in a sweeter chicken salad and spicy nuts, onions, red bell peppers, and jalapenos are good in a more savory chicken salad. Loads of fresh herbs are a must: cilantro, parsley, basil, chives, or rosemary.

In the Mood for Something Spicy Chicken Salad
2 cups leftover chicken, shredded
1/3 cup mayo, plus more as desired
2 Tbsp white onion, chopped
1 Roma tomato, seeded and diced
Small bunch of cilantro, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
liberal pinch of salt
fresh ground black pepper

Toss all ingredients in a bowl. Add additional mayo if necessary. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Serve on toasted bread spread with cilantro-pecan pesto and Monterrey Jack cheese. Refrigerate the leftovers.

Makes enough for 4 sandwiches

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