Archive for the ‘Sides – Salads’ Category
Chicken Salad with Green Olives
This is an excellent tasting salad with just chicken, green olives, celery, and spring onions with a mustard mayo dressing. I made this on 20 Aug 2018, very well liked by the family. This is a 2 for 1 recipe, we are going to cook the chicken and make broth at the same time for use in other recipes. And the chicken we are going to use, thighs, which are very flavorful. The cook and passive times are based on making the broth and getting some nice juicy chicken as well.
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken thighs, cooked and chopped, 8 was perfect
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 1 cup green olives with pimento, sliced
- ½ cup spring onion, sliced
- ⅔ cup mayo
- 2 teaspoons olive juice, from the jar
- 2 teaspoons lemon or lime juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon celery seed, optional
- black pepper, as desired
To make the Broth
- 8 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
- 1 bunch spring onion, chopped
- 1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped
- palmful black peppercorns
- water, as needed
Instructions
To cook the Chicken and make Broth
- Now I have a lot of time on my hands and put a lot of care into what I make. So for this I started with 8 fresh chicken thighs, bone in and skin on.
- For the broth, I went with what I had on hand, a bunch of spring onions and a bunch of cilantro. Chop those and add to the pot with the chicken. Add a palmful of black peppercorns. (You can certainly use trinity if you desire.)
- I needed 2 quarts of broth for another recipe, so I added 2 1/2 quarts of water to the pot. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for an hour and check the chicken, cut a thigh in half, it will be cooked through and tender.
- Remove the pot from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature, leaving the chicken in the broth. can take a few hours to cool. This is the important step for juicy chicken. After a few hours when the broth has cooled, remove the chicken. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken, your hands work perfect for this. Chop the chicken. Strain the broth and place that in the fridge for another recipe.
For the Salad
- In a bowl, whisk together the mayo, mustard, olive juice, lemon or lime juice, and the celery seed. Taste and season with black pepper as desired.
- Add the chopped chicken to a large mixing bowl,
- Add the celery, spring onion, and most of the dressing to the chicken.
- Gently mix to coat everything, add the rest of the dressing as needed until everything is coated well but not dripping in dressing.
- Now gently fold in the olives and mix until they are distributed and lightly coated with dressing.
- Cover and place in the fridge for several hours before serving with crackers. Enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Variant: 1. Use 3 cans of chicken (10 oz / 283 g each), drained, in place of cooking the chicken from scratch.
Spicy Shredded Chicken Salad
This is a Chinese dish, and sounds very tasty, as I do love a good chicken salad. Common ingredients are used which is a bonus. On my to cook list.
Ingredients
- 500 grams chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 1/2 cup garlic, smashed and minced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, or less, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- I use my little rice cooker to do steaming, it came with a steamer basket and works perfect for items like this. Three chicken breasts was just a bit over 500 grams, perfect, no one will complain.
- Steam the chicken breasts for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through, cut one in half to check doneness.
- When cooked, remove from the steamer and allow to cool, then shred and place in a large mixing bowl.
- Heat the oil in a non stick pan on medium heat, when hot, add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir fry until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- To the pan, stir in the salt, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and cumin.
- Add the cilantro, reserving a small amount for garnish) to the chicken in the mixing bowl and toss to mix that in.
- I did use a variant and added some diced pickled red onion.
- Add the garlic mixture from the pan and toss to mix well.
- Serve and garnish with cilantro or chill and serve with cilantro garnish.
Notes
The chicken breasts will cost about 30 Baht/500 grams. For 2 servings, this is about 47 cents per serving.
Shortcut: Pickled Red Onion.
Variants: 1. Add diced red onion. 2. Add diced celery. 3. Add diced pickled red onion, excellent!
Inspired by the recipe Spicy Shredded Chicken Salad from Spice the Plate.
Marinated Cherry Tomato Salad
This sounds really good and comes from a very good friend in the US.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add everything except the tomatoes, whisk until combined to make the dressing.
- Add tomatoes to a large mixing bowl, add the dressing and gently toss to coat. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours before serving.
- Serve as a side with your favorite main dish like chicken or fish.
Notes
Low cost.
Recipe provided by good friend, Patti Stone, and her recipe is here.
United States.
United States.
Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
I love deviled eggs and pasta salads, and this recipe interested me. I made this on 22 May 2018, and the taste is excellent. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 8 hard boiled eggs, peeled and cooled
- 400 grams dry pasta, elbow macaroni, spirals, bite size, (14 oz)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 1/4 cup mayo
- 1 cup dill pickles, chopped, as desired, OR make from a shortcut
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1/2 cup pitted black olives, chopped
- 1 teaspoon paprika, smoked paprika would be best
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a pot of salted water until tender, drain and run under water to cool it down. Add to a large mixing bowl after it is well drained.
- Cut the eggs in half, remove yolks and place in a separate bowl. Mash the egg yolks with a fork and set aside. chop the egg whites and add to the pasta.
- Add the pickles (I used 6 spears from a pint jar), onion, celery, and olives.
- Add the salt, pepper, mustard, mayo, paprika, and the mashed yolks.
- Mix together until well coated. I use a large pot to mix everything, then transfer to a smaller mixing bowl to chill.
- Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours before serving.
- Garnish with a light sprinkling of paprika if desired. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost.
Shortcuts: Fridge Dill Pickles, Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs.
Variant: 1. Top with sliced hard boiled eggs before serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Chicken Macaroni Salad
This is a Filipino version of macaroni salad, many cultures have their own versions, just like chicken noodle soup is found many cultures. This is a delicious and filing pasta salad which can be a side dish or a main dish. Links to the Shortcuts are listed in the Notes section.
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry elbow macaroni
- 1½ cups mayo
- 500 grams chicken breast, boneless, skinless, (1 lb), Shortcut
- 2 cups fresh pineapple, chopped and drained
- ¼ cup sweet pickle relish
- 3 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped, Shortcut
- 1 medium red onion, minced
- 1 carrot, julienned, and cut strips into ½ inch pieces
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese, cubed
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a pot of salted water to boiling then cook the macaroni to tender, drain and set aside.
- Cook the chicken any way that you like, steamed, boiled, oven baked. If boiling, and you have the time, add trinity and make some broth while you are at, also, let the pot cool to cool temp before taking the chicken out, this will result in juicy chicken. A Shortcut is listed in Recipe Notes to follow if you want to use a pressure cooker and make broth for another recipe.
- Drain the pickle relish and the pineapple, this is so you do not make a soggy salad, no one likes a soggy salad 😉
- After everything is cooked, drained, chopped, and cooled, place everything, except the mayo, in a large mixing bowl and gently toss to mix. I started with a mixing bowl, and I lightly mix as each item is prepared and added, I had to transfer to a large pot, as this is a lot of salad.
- Add the mayo and gently mix to make sure everything is coated well. Cover and place in the fridge to chill until serving, chill for about 2-3 hours.
- Serve as a side dish with chicken from the BBQ, grilled sausages, etc. Or serve as a meal itself.
Notes
Low cost.
Shortcuts: Quick Chicken Broth, Perfect Hard Boiled Chicken Eggs.
Russian Beet Salad
This sounds really good, and several shortcuts to make sure you have flavorful vegetables. This can be dressed two different ways as well. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups pickles, diced, Shortcut
- 1½ cups carrots, cooked and diced, Shortcut
- 1½ cups beets, cooked and diced, Shortcut
- 1½ cups potatoes, cooked and diced
- fresh dill, chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
Dressings, pick one
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, start with 4 and adjust as needed
- 6 tablespoons mayo, start with 4 and adjust as needed
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the pickles, carrots, beets, and potatoes and toss together.
- Add ONE of the dressings, starting with 4 tablespoons and adjusting as needed, season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Chill for a few hours, then when serving, garnish with the fresh dill.
Notes
Shortcuts: Pressure Cooked Beets, Pressure Cooked Carrots, Fridge Pickles.
Olive Salad
This is a new one for me, I have never heard of this but it sounds really good. I made this on 6 April 2018, very good combination of flavors.
Ingredients
- 1 can pitted black olives, sliced
- 1 jar green olives with pimento, sliced
- 1 can button mushrooms, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 spring onions, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- Add all the items to a large mixing bowl, toss to coat everything.
- I also added some crumbled Feta cheese.
- Cover and place in the fridge for 2-3 hours to chill and allow the flavors to blend.
- Will keep for up to a week in the fridge. This is great as a side dish, a topping on burgers, etc.
Notes
One can of black olives will cost 78 Baht, 1 jar or green olives 74 Baht, and one can of mushrooms will cost 70 Baht. For 8 servings this is about 87 cents per serving.
Variant: 1. Add Feta cheese.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Deviled Egg Salad
Sounds absolutely wonderful, on my to cook list.
Ingredients
- 12 hard boiled eggs, peeled, chopped
- 1/4 cup spring onion, sliced, green and white
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup mayo
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon tabasco sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place the prepared eggs, spring onion, celery, and bell pepper in a large mixing bowl and toss together.
- In a small bowl, mix together the mayo, mustard, Tabasco sauce, and the vinegar.
- Stir the dressing into the egg and veggies and season with paprika, salt, and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for several hours to chill it fully before serving.
Notes
Low cost.
This recipe for Deviled Egg Salad is from Simply Recipes.
Spaghetti Salad
This comes from a good friend and sounds very nice, I love a good pasta salad and this seems to be on par with that. This is a make with what you want, think left overs or cleaning out the fridge, no measurements are given for the ingredients. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- spaghetti, cooked, drained, cooled
- black olives, pitted and sliced
- cucumber, cut into bite size pieces
- tomatoes, diced large
- spring onions, sliced
- Italian dressing, OR make from a shortcut
- 1 packet dry ranch dressing mix, OR make from a shortcut
- Italian cheese mix, or go with Mozzarella and Parmesan
- pinch garlic powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Mix everything together in a mixing bowl, use amounts of items based on how much spaghetti you are using, and dress with the Italian dressing and Ranch mix to taste, add cheese, and seasonings to taste.
- Cover and place in the fridge for 2-3 hours before serving as a side with any dish.
Notes
Low cost.
Shortcuts: Italian Dressing, Ranch Dressing Mix.
Recipe and photo provided by a friend, Joeann Lafferty, and her recipe is here.
United States.
United States.
Sausage Salad I
I had this at a wedding party yesterday, 27 Feb 2018. This was the only dish that contained packaged items, like Vietnamese sausage, hot dogs, crab sticks, and squid rolls. Squid rolls are essentially a crab stick but are tubular shaped, but squid flavored. The dish in the photo also has chilies in it, when I prepare this, I will use much less chili. No servings or quantities are given until I make this, I am just winging this for now.
Ingredients
- Vietnamese sausage, a mix of peppered and plain would be good
- quality hot dogs
- imitation crab, aka crab sticks
- imitation squid, aka squid rolls
- fresh mushrooms, white ear, oyster, your choice
- carrot
- red onion
- tomatoes
- pinch Bird's Eye Chili, seeded and finely chopped, or to taste
For the Dressing
- soy sauce
- lime juice
Instructions
- Cut the Vietnamese sausage (Cha Lua plain, and Cha Hue for peppered) in half lengthwise, then thinly slice each half. A mix of regular and pepper varieties would work well.
- Slice the hot dogs thinly at an angle. (Just a note, the shorter hot dogs tend to have the casings removed.)
- Slice the imitation crab into 1/2 inch pieces and the squid into 1/4 inch pieces.
- Cut the onion in half from top to bottom, then thinly slice each half.
- Finely slice then chop the carrot. Safe bet would be to cut the carrot into 2 inch pieces, julienne, then cut the stack in half.
- For the mushrooms, if using white ear variety, blanch that for a few minutes, drain and let cool down. Your choice of fresh mushrooms, buttons sliced, Shimeji chopped, Shiitake sliced with the stem removed would also be nice.
- For the tomatoes, cut in half and remove the seedy pulp then slice.
- Seed and finely chop one Bird's Eye chili.
- Place the prepared meats and veggies in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Splash with some soy sauce and a couple of tablespoons of lime juice. Toss together until all is coated well. (Keep in mind, my photo shows a very large pot, this is at a wedding so a lot of chow was made, but this was delicious! I will make this on a much smaller scale than what this photo shows.)
- Serve as a side dish with any Thai dish.
Notes
I will price then when I gather up all the supplies for this.
Inspired by seeing this dish at a party.
Thailand.
Thailand.
