Who has the best chicken salad?

I'm sitting here eating a chicken salad sandwich from Manhattan Grill, and it's okay. I looove chicken salad, but I haven't been very "wowed" by any of the chicken salads I've had lately and I think it's because I haven't been hitting the right spots. I've always really liked the tarragon chicken salad at City Cafe, but probably just because I'm a tarragon lunatic.

So who has really good chicken salad?

Jackie,
I love the Curry Chicken Salad from The Cheddar Box in Middletown. If I'm going to splurge on a chicken salad (calorie speaking), that would be my choice.
Rebecca

[Robin Garr]

The Cafe in the Goss Avenue Antique Mall had a splendid one, and since they pretty much kept the same menu when they moved to their new quarters as The Cafe just off East Broadway, I assume they still do.

Ya know, I SWEAR I was just thinking of them. I'm pretty sure I had their chicken salad at the old location. I went to the new location about a month ago and was completely blown away. It is hands down at the top of my list for breakfast and lunch spots. And they take coffee mug donations, which is cute. I think I drank out of an old Great Financial Federal mug. I think I saw that you get a free cuppa coffee when you bring one in.

And let me not fail to mention their Tomato Basil soup. Best I've ever had anywhere.

I'll definitely second the Cheddar Box in Middletown. Their chicken salad is certainly the best I've found locally, it has a very nice blend of flavors and textures. Unfortunately I don't think the chicken salad at the Cheddar Box in Saint Matthew's is as good even though they are both supposed to be made from the same recipe.

I'm pretty fond of the Smoked Chicken Salad at Smoketown USA, I've never had a bad batch and must say I've become quite addicted.

My chicken salad can beat up your chicken salad's dad. I make it occasionally for a lunch special at Cafe Lou Lou St. Matthews. I'll post in this thread next time we serve it. Shredded grilled chicken, celery, onion, mayo, red grapes, green apples, roasted walnuts, celery seed, cayenne, lemon juice, curry powder.

And Jackie, I'll just BRING you some, because I cannot let a challenge go unanswered.

Ooh, also: I think the Cafe's is just great, too. I myself LOVE chicken salads of all varieties.

I had people tell me that if I took my Chicken Salad off of the menu, they would never be back. I also catered a function for 400 about a year ago and when we were setting the menu, they told me they didn't care what else I had for them, as long as I had served my Chicken Salad.....

I think Losta Pasta has a really good chicken salad it has pineapple almonds chunks of chicken green onions

I'm not a big chicken salad eater, but have always thought the Chik-Sal-Sand at Main Street Eatery was very good....someone mentioned the Cheddar Box in a previous post...haven't been there in awhile...do they still make the BBQ Chicken spread -- that was almost addictive!!

All the above (Cheddar Box, LouLou's, and the Cafe) very good.

When I want a "fix", however, sometimes I'll just go to Kroger, which isn't bad! Also, Costco has a good chicken salad made from rotisserie chicken (just be sure to get the farthest out code date for freshness).

You know, I like Kroger's too - but sometimes they overcook the chicken, and by that I mean they somehow overboil it not so that it's tough, but somehow it just smashes into mush - no texture to the meat at all. That's kinda yucky. But it's not every time.

Sweet and Savory on Bardstown Rd. has a great chicken salad, also with curry in it (though I think they have non-curry as well). Very very good.

I have a big weakness for curry and fruit in my chicken salad, but it's almost becoming a little too trendy. Doll's makes a great variety of chicken salads - at least they used to, I haven't purchased one from them in a long time. I remember them having like 6-10 varieties of tuna, turkey, and chicken salads in the deli case at all times.

You're right about the Kroger stuff, Marsha. It's weird. Mushy is not the idea for me. And it's too sweet. Sometimes sweet is okay, though. I have had the Sweet and Savory version and it was good. I've always loved the Irish Rover's, too, for some reason. Really, as you can probably tell, I'm a total chicken salad nut. When I make it at home (or tuna) I have a hard time stopping at 10 ingredients.

For some reason, I hardly ever order chicken salad out, but I make it at home quite often (and usually with curry and grapes)...although, when I was in Cooperstown NY there was a local place called The Bean that made an addictive "chicken salad melt " which was a huge portion of chicken salad with bacon slices and NY cheddar in a wrap pressed quickly on a panini grill. Oh, I miss it dearly.