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‘Tis the season for holiday gatherings with friends, and food is always at the center of the festivities. I have the perfect recipe to share, whether you’re planning a cookie exchange with friends, a Christmas luncheon for the ladies, or even a New Year’s Eve party.
Every good hostess should have an easy, go-to recipe for chicken salad, and I feel as though I have finally perfected mine! With the toasted almonds, celery, and cherries, these sandwiches are special enough for company, but also easy enough for a weeknight family dinner. They can be prepared in advance (bonus!), and pulled out when ready to serve.
Please notice the parsley…my mother (and grandmother) obviously left an impression! I would feel guilty serving a meal on my grandmother’s fine china without the proper garnish. As a side note, can you believe that this particular parsley was just plucked from my garden in late December? Talk about hearty herbs: my rosemary and parsley are still growing strong!
I should also note that this is basically the same recipe that appeared in a recent Madison Eagle cooking column, where I just substituted turkey for the chicken. You can obviously feel free to use whichever meat you have on hand.
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt or more, to taste
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
- ½ cup dried cherries
- ½ cup slivered almonds toasted
- ½ cup diced celery
- 8 small dinner rolls or slider buns
- Lettuce and tomato optional
Instructions
- Whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and salt. In a medium bowl, combine chicken, cherries, almonds, and celery. Pour mayonnaise mixture over the chicken and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- For serving, place chicken salad into each dinner roll. Garnish with lettuce and tomato if desired.
