Chicken Gate

My mother and one of her closest friends, host a luncheon each December for a dozen or so lovely ladies. They have been doing this for more years than I’m allowed to mention. It has been an elegant luncheon, with much attention given to every detail. The table setting and flowers carefully chosen; the food prepared with the greatest of care.

This past December the ladies gathered to enjoy their festive luncheon, all was going well with the ladies seated, when one mischievous guest shouted “Where’s the chicken?” She was referring to my mother’s chicken and rice dish.

Let’s not mince words here; my mother was mortified, as the laughter erupted. Maybe the chicken had been minced instead of cubed. It was there, but maybe too fine of a dice to compete with the rice.

The laughter encouraged the mischievous guest to tease a bit more, but quickly the ladies moved on to other topics and dessert of course. But to both of the hostesses this luncheon became known as Chicken Gate!

Here are three chicken recipes that can hold their own at any luncheon. These recipes will help any hostess avoid Chicken Gate. Two of the chicken recipes come from my favorite cookbook, Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook. I love this cookbook so much, that if disaster should strike, this is the book I would grab before running out of my home.

 
Regal Chicken Salad

4 cups diced cooked chicken
1 (1lb. 4 ½ oz.) can of pineapple chucks
2 cups seedless green grapes
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup coarsely chopped dry salted peanuts
Salt
¼ teaspoon tarragon leaves
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons of the pineapple juice

Combine the chicken, drained pineapple (reserve juice), grapes, celery and peanuts. Taste for salt and add a pinch of salt, if needed. The salted peanuts may add enough salt. Stir in the tarragon.

Combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of the pineapple juice. Serve on lettuce. This recipe will serve 8, but can be doubled with ease. This recipe was reprinted with the permission of the Farm Journal.
 
Alice’s Scalloped Chicken

Cook the chicken days in advance, discard bones and freeze the meat.
1 (5 to 6 lb.) stewing chicken
1cup chicken fat
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon of salt
¼ teaspoon of white pepper
4 ½ cup of chicken broth
2 cups of milk
4 cups of day-old bread, toasted and cubed
¼ cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon salt
½ to 1 teaspoon of rubbed sage
1/3 cup of melted butter

Simmer chicken in salted water (use the 1 tablespoon of salt for this) until tender. This should take about 3 hours. Remove chicken and take all of the meat of the bones.
To make the sauce: melt the fat in a heavy skillet; blend in flour, 1 teaspoon of salt and white pepper. Cook over low heat until bubbly, stirring constantly.

Slowly stir in the chicken broth and milk; boil 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Lightly toss together the bread cubes, onion, sage, and butter. Arrange in two 2-quart baking dishes. Top with chicken and cover with sauce. Mix with fork to moisten the bread. Bake in oven for one hour preheated to 350 degrees.

This recipe was reprinted with the permission of the Farm Journal.


Cherry Blossom Chicken Salad

4 cups diced cooked chicken
2 cups dried tart cherries
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup toasted sliced almonds
Salt
¼ teaspoon fresh parsley
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

Combine the chicken, cherries, celery and half of the almonds. Stir in the parsley.
Combine mayonnaise and lemon juice add to the chicken mixture. Add the salt and gently fold all of the ingredients together. Top with the remainder of the toasted sliced almonds. Garnish with fresh cherries, a sprig of parsley, and top with some of the toasted almonds.