CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICHES

Chicken Salad Sandwiches image

Yield makes about 4 cups chicken salad; 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

3 cups cooked, chopped chicken (page 89) or turkey
1 cup halved green and red grapes
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped white or red onion
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
16 slices white sandwich bread
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened (optional)

Steps:

In a medium mixing bowl, place the chicken, grapes, nuts, celery, onion, relish, salt, and pepper. Stir until well combined. Add the mayonnaise and stir until the chicken is well coated.
Arrange a few slices of bread in a neat stack and use a serrated knife to slice off the crusts. Repeat until all of the bread slices are trimmed.
Place about a 1/2 cup chicken salad on half of the slices. Place the remaining slices on top. Slice each sandwich into 4 squares or triangles. Arrange on a platter and serve.
from aunt elsa's kitchen
Aunt Elsa would make these ahead of time for a party and refrigerate them for a few hours or freeze them for up to a week and remove them from the freezer the morning of the event. Her secret was to spread a thin coat of butter on the bread, which prevents the sandwiches from getting soggy without changing any flavor.
To make ahead, spread a light coat of butter on one side of each slice of bread. After slicing as directed above, cover the sandwiches with wax paper, and then cover with a damp towel. Refrigerate until needed.
For longer storage, cover the platter of sandwiches with plastic wrap and freeze. Uncover the sandwiches and let stand at room temperature for a few hours before serving.