Best Way to Cook Chicken for a Chicken Salad

I would use rotisserie, baked or grilled chicken breast. I don't like the flavor (or lack of flavor) of boiled chicken.

I'm always confused when people say chicken salad. To me, it's the kind you put on a sandwich, to my husband it's a lettuce salad with chicken. It causes confusion to this day! LOL!

Anyway....for chicken salad sandwiches I generally use canned chicken. That's the way my family made it when I was growing up. I do a can of chicken (not the breast, the kind that you would use for chicken and noodles), celery, hard boiled eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper, and the drained can of chicken.

If you don't want to use the canned chicken, I think I'd go with the rotisserie chicken. They always have such good flavor.

I think it has more flavor if it is baked and then left to cool and then cubed than when you boil it. Just season it lightly, I cover mine with foil so that it does not lose moisture and get all dried out.

I just buy the rotisserie chicken at the store. Pull off all the meat (white and dark) and cube. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup REAL mayo, 1/2 c currants, 3/4 cup sliced almonds, 1 tsp Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix (the powder in the envelope), salt and pepper to taste. I normally use white pepper but you can do either.

Poach the chicken: it's very easy.

Cover the chicken with cold water. Bring it just to a boil (watch it so you don't miss when it begins to boil). As SOON as it begins to boil, remove the pan from the heat, cover it tightly, and just let it sit, off the heat. When the pan is completely cool to the touch (you can comfortably place your hand on the pan and hold it there), the chicken will be poached and ready to use in a salad. It won't be rubbery.

The rubbery result you're getting is from simmering/boiling for 20 minutes. Chicken needs very gentle poaching.

I have never understood boiled chicken. My mom is a great person but luckily not one to share her recipes and when she looked at me in shock for cooking chicken as opposed to boiling it I was grateful for every cooking class I ever took. I cook mine like a turkey by rubbing the whole think with butter (you can add spices if you like) and cooking on its left side for 20 minutes, then its right side for 20 minutes and then breast down for 20 minutes. Comes out great every time that way

When you boil it, you're putting half the flavor of the chicken in the water that you then pour down the sink. I season with salt, pepper, and olive oil and roast in a 325 oven until temp. There's a lot you can do with chicken cooked this way, chicken salad is one.

open a can of chicken! ha ha...no for real that's what i'd do! :)

Roast them! Bone-in chicken breasts 400 degree oven for 30-35 mins (till the juices run clear). Just cover with olive oil, salt and pepper. So juicy and good!

I also like to foreman grill them ... tenderize, soak in salt/pepper while they set on the counter for 5-10 min then place on grill take them off about 2 or 3 min before "done" and let rest then place in freezer to get cold (20 min) and shred in food processor, grater or by hand.

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The best way to cook chicken breasts for chicken salad is to cook them in a frying pan with a little bit of water and mrs. dash. you can cover the frying pan so it creates a little steam. cut them before you cook them in cubes. it should be max of 10 minutes and they will be done. cook them over a medium high heat.

I really like the flavor of it broiled it brings out the sweetness of the chicken but I also bake it in the oven with FF italian dressing I cover it with the dressing add a little water then cover with foil I bake it for about 1 hour and 15 minutes it is fork tender the trick is when doing it this way don't take the foil off but watch it to make sure the juices don't dry out. Another great way is to use an already baked chicken (natural chicken of course) from the store it is flavored and tender and shortens the time. We only use natural chicken they are never chewy. Good Luck. ( I use grapes, celery and onion and reduced or fat free mayo it is so yummy and you can eat it in a bowl or put in on bread)

I think you poached them too long. If they are boneless skinless chicken breasts, bring chicken broth (no chicken pieces in the liquid yet) just barely to a boil, then add breasts and simmer for 10 minutes. Test (depending on the thickness of the breasts, they might need to simmer another 5, but they could be done in 10). Also, add cut up veggies (onion, celery, peppers, carrots) and some spices (basil, parsley, oregano) to the broth before boiling. Or buy a rotesserie chicken and use that!

I think you are way overcooking your meat. You might also try using a mixture of light and dark meat. Dark meat is usually more flavorful and tender.

After I cook the meat I de-bone it, put the bones back in the pot, let it simmer for a bit, take a stock pot and put a cloth over it, strain the debris out of the broth, discard the debris, let the broth cool a bit then put it into quart or gallon size freezer bags and freeze them. I also freeze some of the meat to have it already cooked and ready to go.

I put the frozen broth in the stock pot, add the chicken after some of the broth melts down, then just get it boiling and add either some biscuit dough or the Reamus frozen noodles and make a wonderful dinner in minutes with minimal mess.

Easy... don't simmer it. STEEP it instead. Do everything you're already doing but turn off the heat, put a lid on, and make sure you've salted the water like you would when you cook pasta. The chicken will come out perfectly that way: juicy, tender, and perfect. You can prepare it this way for chef salads, chicken salads, cobb salads, and you can even slather it with BBQ sauce or other marinades and then reheat it on a grill (whole) later on to put grill marks on it and impress people with your mad BBQ skillz. :-)

Your cooking them too long. Boil, lid off, for 10 minutes or so. Pull out the fattest breast and cut through the thickest part to check for doneness.

I liked them grilled, or broiled in the oven :)

The best chicken salad I've ever made has become my only one, and it uses rotisserie chicken. It's the best!

Simmering for 20 minutes is too long for chicken breast. No wonder it turnes out like rubber. If boneless just start it in cold stock or seasoned water and when it comes to the boil turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 20 min, if it is on the bone just pop it into a 350 oven for 30 min until done and quickly roast it. Good luck.