Recipe(tried): Whipped Cream Chicken Salad (repost) - Re: chicken salad

Hi Susan :-) When you make chicken for salad (and many other recipes), you want to cook your chicken first, then cut it into bite sized pieces. Have your chicken close to room temperature. Get breasts out of the refrigerator about 1/2 hour before you plan to cook them - longer for a whole chicken. If you are using boneless, skinless chicken breasts, you will want to poach them. Rinse them in cold water, then put them in a shallow pan like a frying pan. Add water or chicken broth so it reaches about halfway up on the breasts. Cover your pan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat so the liquid just simmers. Cook, covered for about 10 minutes, then turn the breasts over and poach, covered, at a simmer for another 10 minutes. Your chicken breasts should be done then. If you are using chicken brests with skin and bones, rinse, and cover with water. At this point, you can add a slice of onion, a stalk of celery cut into 1 1/2 in. pieces, a chicken bouillion cube or two, and a bay leaf. Simmer for about 25 minutes. If you want to cook an entire chicken do the same - cover with water, add onion, celery, bouillion cubes and a bay leaf but simmer about 45 minutes. (You can also add some carrot, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 in. chunks). Let cool, then skin and debone the chicken and cut into bite sized pieces. If you want to make a good chicken stock, put the skin and bones back in the liquid and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Strain the liquid through a sieve (lined with cheesecloth if you want a super clear broth)and pour into containers, then refrigerate or freeze. I am including a recipe that Verla/Illinois posted which is wonderful. Or, you can just add mayonnaise, salt and pepper, and chopped celery to your cooled chicken. If you want to vary the recipe a bit, and add some different flavors, also add some chopped walnuts and tarragon. I hope that these pointers have been helpful to you. Good luck!

Whipped Cream Chicken Salad
From: Party Receipts by the Charleston, SC Junior League.

Ths can be served in pastry shells or scooped out cherry tomatoes or used as a sandwich filling. It is sinfully rich.
Makes 4 cups

2 cups diced cooked chicken
1 1/2 cups diced celery
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup heavy cream, whipped
1/2 cup chopped or sliced almonds

In a large bowl toss the chicken with the celery, parsley, salt, and pepper. Add the mayo and the lemon juice and mix well. Gently fold in whipped cream until it is well incorporated.

Refrigerate the salad for about an hour. Before serving, sprinkle with the almonds.