One of the best ways to utilize chicken leftovers in the fridge is to mix it with a potato salad. This is great after Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter when you baked a whole chicken and you’re tired of stale chicken breast. It has an egg salad base which is very creamy. I think if you have leftover crispy bacon, these can go in here too. I’ve seen people add chopped pickles too so it’s a recipe where your creativity can shine. I’m team no-raisins though.
The important thing when making a potato salad is to focus on how the potatoes are prepped for the salad. The skin shouldn’t be peeled from the potatoes until after they are boiled. Plus they should be boiled until they are just soft. You don’t want over-cooked, mushy potatoes-that’s good for when you’re making mashed potatoes. You want slightly firm potatoes that have texture among the smooth egg salad dressing. Boiling the potatoes in larger chunks also helps it from going to mush.
Keep this refrigerated all the time as much as you possibly can. Room-temperature potato salad is a really sad deal I think. In addition, the flavors in the salad are enhanced when you refrigerate this for a while before serving.
Ingredients
Boiled potatoes:
8 red potatoes, or Yukon gold potatoes, not peeled and quartered
4-5 cups water
2 tablespoons table salt
Salad:
2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
6 hard boiled eggs, peeled
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1&1/2 cups mayonnaise
2 teaspoons garlic powder or minced garlic
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (or black pepper)
1 tablespoon fresh or dried chives
1/2 cup chopped cilantro/parsley/oregano or dill
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Extra add-ins: Crispy bacon, relish, red onion or chopped celery
Instructions
- Place the chopped potatoes in a deep, large saucepan. Submerge it completely in cold water. Add the salt and bring to a boil on medium heat.
- Boil the potatoes for 25-30 minutes. A fork inserted into the potatoes should go in easily.
- Drain the potatoes and let it cool completely before peeling off the skin.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the salad dressing ingredients. Gently fold in in the cooked potato chunks and refrigerate for an hour or more.
- Always serve the potato salad cold.