Chicken Salad
 

okay, totally not sure if this is the right subset of this forum to post this in...but I can't seem to find another appropriate one...so here goes and the moderators will reassign it if needed

my wife has Alzheimer's... so I'm doing all of the meal prep, cooking, menu planning and buying, etc...no big deal, I signed on for life, she's the love of my life. We both liked to cook and we took many cooking classes together over the years...so I know how to cook

however...now I'm faced with taking care of 'the left overs'....lol... in the past that was always way above my pay grade thankfully....lol

so, a meal that we make often is 'Basil Chicken'...chicken breasts with skin on and bone in, and we stuff about 8 basil leaves under the skin of each breast....fantastic taste

anyway...there's always a lot of chicken left over....which in the past my wife made into chicken salad for sandwiches.

so here's my question....should I just rough chop the left over chicken and leave it in big chunks, or should I fine chop the chicken for the sandwiches....yes I'm going to add celery and mayo

hey...what can I say...I was always the chef or the sous chef and never had to bother with the leftovers (I'd always help with the drying of the dishes though)

thanks for any advice you may share...

it's tougher than I ever thought it would be being 'the care taker'...and I just want to be able to please my wife with a great chicken salad sandwich. We go on picnics a lot now that covid-19 is here...it gets us out.

I am so grateful that we are in TV...there are so many folks that will help....and it truly does make a huge difference. We are blessed that our church family is so great...and that we have 1st cousins living in TV

And this forum gives me a lot of joy...and a break from being "on" 24x 7

please, just tell me how you chop the left over chicken for sandwiches...it's really just that darn simple of a question...and I feel silly reaching out on this, but I am :)

Remove the skin of course.

Chop chicken in size you want it, add celery and mayo and in my case yellow mustard and pepper. Sometimes some chopped up onion and pickles.

One of my favorites and will make a batch and eat it for days.

thank you...what size do you usually chop to 1/2 inch, 1/4 inch??

Chicken salad is one of my standards. In fact, it rarely starts with leftovers. Those skinless, boneless chicken breasts get gently blasted in a pressure cook for just a few minutes.

(I used to poach them but now it is always the pressure cooker.)

Then the chicken gets shredded. I just use forks to do the shredding because I do not want the chicken to be too smooth — just a rough shred. Chopping would work fine, too.

I use tarragon, celery, and Hellmann’s.

My mom sometimes put grapes and nuts in chicken salad and served it on a lettuce leaf, on a pretty plate, for her bridge club. But I don’t play bridge.

How did your wife make her chicken salad. As you being the care giver, consistency in everyday life helps.

Large chunks are harder to chew. I dice onion, celery, and chicken all same size, add condiments, I use dukes mayo, and refrigerate overnight.

Yum, sounds so refreshing! I like to chop mine pretty small so the chicken isn't dry. I use mayo and pickle relish and when I am feeling a little spicy add either a hot mustard or a little buffalo sauce. I am sure she will love it no matter what you do!

ahh...tarragon...now that's different. thank you

Dukes is my favorite mayo down here....

good call to ask how my wife used to make it...thanks!

I’d just like to throw in my vote for fine chopped. Better to spread the mayo around. And let’s be honest, that’s the best part. :a040::a040:

Never measured it but approximately 1/4 x 1/4.

I prefer shredded chicken for my chicken salad. Just like at fresh market. I simply cut it in strips along the fibers (if you will) then I hand tear (rip/pull) it then S & P, mayo, a touch of brown mustard, celery salt then 3 drops of Worcestershire sauce, yes Worcestershire sauce.

I grill chicken breasts specifically to make salad. I don't like large chunks so do a pretty fine 1/8 inch dice. Same size as the celery. I often eat it as a croissant sandwich, but add chopped walnuts if I'm having a scoop by itself. Condiments of choice are Miracle Whip and spicy mustard.

For those who sometimes just want a quick meal, the offerings at Chicken Salad Chick on Bichara are good if a bit spendy.

You are a wonderful man and she is a lucky lady!

I'm the guy in the house and do all the cooking too, so can appreciate your question. One thing I find helpful is Allrecipes | Food, friends, and recipe inspiration You can search for anything you like and there are a lot of helpful recipes from everyday people. Also many videos showing how to do stuff.

As a former caregiver for my mom, I would suggest making the chicken as small as possible because your wife may have issues chewing it. I personally love it when it is chunks, but my mom would never have managed it. Chop it all up in very small pieces to make it as easy as possible for your wife. Everyone here focused on your recipe (although I love the use of tarragon in yours), but I focused on the fact your wife has ALZ and I remember how hard it was to get mom to eat. We eventually ended up pureeing everything to get her nourishment.

It’s a personal preference. I like my chicken salad with smaller almost pulled pieces. I also add shaved lettuce, carrot, red onion and toasted almonds.

Chicken salad
 

I like to shred it using 2 forks or just my fingers.

Another great thing to make simply:
Chicken pot pies
Premade shell
Chicken cut up
One can mixed vegetables don't drain!
One can of cream of chicken OR cream of mushroom . no need to add water if you use the vegetables from can.
One hour at 350 in oven
Use a tin pie pan and place onto a metal tray for easy cleanup
Place a little tin foil on edges or use a Silicon ring .
Good for a week in refrigerator
Can microwave leftovers 2 minutes .easy peasy . season to taste before cooking . . I use oregano or a Italian spice mix and salt pepper

And bless you .don't forget to take care of yourself too .

I know where you are coming from. My wife who passed away three years ago, had altzheimers. I likewise took care of her, mostly, although the last few months Cornerstone Hospise was a great help.Now, as far as the salad, I would suggest that you fine chop it, since there is a good likelihood that your wife at some point will have difficulty eating, and the softer and more fluid something is, the better it will go down.Best wishes...

I like to chop mine fairly small. It mixes better. Thank you for being such a good husband to your wife.

I cut mine into very small chunks and actually mush (is that a word?) the dressing into the chicken with a fork making it into almost a slightly chunky paste. It just depends on how big of chunks you like and the texture you prefer. I make my dressing by mixing mayo, couple of spoonfulls of honey and some minced garlic to taste. Blend that into the chicken and then add in chopped walnuts with some halved grapes. Its really delicious. Oh yeah, salt n pepper too. My other way is just mayo, celery, diced onions n lots of blk pepper n little salt. Both ways are great

I like to shred mine with my fingers! I also love to add a boiled egg or two, sometimes grapes cut in half and also toasted walnuts (put in cold dry pan then cook on medium and toss till they start to get light brown!

For sandwiches, cut smaller.

We like it on a plate with a little lettuce underneath to eat with it and make it look pretty. I like to add generous amounts of Hellmann's Mayonnaise, a tablespoon or two of grated cheddar cheese, finely cut onion and maybe some nice grapes halved.

I know we all worry about Alzheimers changing our lives and taking our loved ones away.. Sending kind and caring thoughts to the both of you from the both of us.

I second that!

I like to add curry and raisins to my chicken salad along with finely diced celery, onions, Hellman's mayo and a tad of mustard. I prefer to have the chicken in smaller pieces.
Chicken Ala King is easy to make and goes well over rice, mashed potatoes or stuffing.
Hope all goes well for you and your wife.

I was the caregiver for my wife for 8.5 years. What you are doing is very admirable, I know all about it. You will not regret it. God Bless!

Good for you for taking on the caretaker role with such a difficult disease to face. I'm sure you've figured the size of chunks with all these responses, and I thank you for the reminder of how nice a picnic outing is. Will do that myself soon!

Chicken Smoothie
 

Easy, use the Vitamix, and make a chicken smoothie with all veggies. Easy!

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Thank you....she's eating okay now, no issues but good advice for the future

Unaddressed concern
 

What is the time period for safe eating from original preparation?

Bless you for caring for your wife. This is such a difficult journey and Alzheimer’s is such a cruel disease. My husband is the cook in our home but he makes a delicious chicken salad. Chop the chicken very small making it much easier to eat. Cut dark red seedless grapes in half and add those along with some chopped smoked almonds. Mix with some mayo and there you go. Delicious. She will love it.

Thanks for responding everyone with helpful suggestions and encouragement....life is still 'glass half full' for us both

Definitely fine chopped with mustard, mayo and pickle relish. Celery if you want, I never put it in mine.

I chop the chicken into small pieces (about 1/8”) and cut the celery super-fine (cut stalk into 6 strips and slice into smallest pieces possible, adds more flavor). Add chopped walnuts or pecans and chopped up dried cranberries. Add mayo as you like. Serve in sandwiches or on Romain lettuce. You also can substitute yogurt for mayo. Salt and pepper as needed.

chicken salad
 

I cut into 1/4 inch dice, may also be easier for wife to eat as well. I add celery, mayo and sometimes dried cranberries and grapes.

Another really easy recipe is to add 1/4 inch dice chicken to white sauce, add some frozen peas and you've got a quick ala king you can just serve over buttered toast for a quick lunch. Ask away for your questions, we're all bored and would love to help!

I do mine on the small side so it can be used either way. Then mayo, S&P, celery, onion, cut up grapes and pineapple.

I agree to make the size appropriate to her ability to chew. I personally like adding chopped walnuts and craisins for a little sweetness. P

I'd say no bigger than your thumbnail for the size of the chopped chicken. What size does your wife like?
You're not alone. There are tons of us out there who are now the caretakers. I'm now the jack of all trades, cleaning garages, paying bills, putting salt in the water softener, changing out the propane tanks on the grill, buying and spreading the fertilizer on the lawn, automobile minder, nurse, and then the daily usual, cooking more than I ever imagined (and cleanup), laundry, more laundry, pill dispenser, answering the same questions over and over, wishing you could roll back the clock 20 years....well, you know the list goes on. I remind myself, that I would be doing all these things if I were alone, but I'm not. Missing the feeling of having an equal partner. Now I know why couples die within days of each other, the caregiver goes first.
Wishing you good health, strength, and mental fortitude. Again, chop the chicken no bigger than your thumbnail.

Aldi's sells a chicken salad that I really enjoy, they have one with Cranberries. You might try adding Cranberries or Craisins for a change. I like fruit and nuts with my Chicken salad.

You are an Alzheimer care giver to the love of your life .... you must be a very special man. I cannot think of anything more difficult. Unfortunately I have first hand knowledge of this dreadful disease. There are no words for what it does to your soul.