Chicken Sandwich Filling

Remember those school sandwiches with chicken salad?  Or Mom’s fancy party sandwiches?  Well, nowadays, you don’t always have to kill and cook the chicken first.  Here’s the recipe for a simple chicken sandwich filling – nothing to detract from the fresh, delicate taste of poached or home-canned chicken.  You can poach chicken breasts by cutting them in half, covering with stock, bringing to a boil, and then covering the pot and letting them stand 20-25 minutes.  

I used home-canned chicken and my little food processor for this today – our Mom used her manual meat grinder.  This makes a thick filling, not chunky, so it holds together.  We much prefer homemade “Cooked Dressing” for the genuine old-time taste, but your favorite mayonnaise or white creamy salad dressing will also work.    Make the dressing a day ahead, and use any leftovers anywhere you would use mayonnaise – it keeps at least a week in the refrigerator.   

We enjoyed ours on homemade Walnut Bread  with home canned Split Pea Soup.         

                         Chicken Sandwich Filling

  1           Cup  Cooked Chicken -- or home canned

     ½       Cup  Celery -- finely chopped

  1           Slice  Onion -- finely chopped

               Salt and Pepper -- to taste

    ¼        Cup   Cooked Dressing -- or mayonnaise

Finely chop or grind all ingredients together.  Moisten with dressing

Spread on buttered bread or toast.  Serves 4

  "Betty Crocker Quick and Easy Cook Book 1954"

                             Cooked Dressing

  2        tablespoons  Sugar

  2        tablespoons  Flour, All-purpose

  1        teaspoon  Salt

  1        teaspoon  Dry Mustard

  2        large  Egg Yolks -- slightly beaten

     3/4 cup  Milk (I have used skim milk, whole milk and it’s really good with half and half)

  4        tablespoons  Vinegar – mild (we like cider vinegar)

   1/2 -1 Tablespoon  Butter 

Mix dry ingredients; gradually add egg yolks and milk; cook over hot (not boiling) water until thick, stirring constantly, only about 3-4 minutes.  Add vinegar and butter; mix well and cook until thick.  Cover with plastic wrap right on the top of the mixture while cooling it.  Chill; stir before using.

67¢ per cup   Only 25 Calories per tablespoon   Yield:  "1 cup"

  "Betty Crocker Good and Easy 1954 or Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book 1946 and 1968"