The Best Chicken Salad Recipe - Video

I love Chicken Salad as much as Tuna Salad. It's a milder taste compared to tuna, so the crunchy veggies and mayo/mustard come forward in flavor. My Chicken Salad recipe video will have coming back for seconds and thirds once you've had your first bite.

The ingredient list is small. I like a little fine chopped onion and celery for crunch. And those veggies are about the lest expensive ones you can find at any grocery store.

I also include a tablespoon of pickle relish. I find it at my local 99c only Store and Dollar Tree. You can add more or less veggies and relish to suit your taste. You can even leave out the veggies for a more meaty salad.

I add a little mustard with a lot of mayo for extra creamy Chicken Salad. Again, you can adjust the balance to please yourself and the family. If you don't like mustard then leave it out.

Some recipes call for the herb Dill. Again, use it if you like it, or forget about it.

All the ingredients come cheaply these days. I get dark chicken leg quarters for way less than a dollar per pound and white meat for around 99 cents per pound from Superior, my local Latin market. Dark meat is harder to filet than white meat, but after you've done it a few times it does get easier

I lightly boil or poach the chicken pieces so they stay moist. You can use any chicken you have on hand, either fresh-baked or sauteed, too. I've used leftover roasted whole chicken from the deli case of my local grocery chain store when it's on sale, usually at the end of the work week. Leave out the skin and bones. Canned chicken is fine to use, too - just drain it, like you would with canned tuna.

Poaching Video

I always can find mayo and mustard on sale. And onion and celery are some of the least expensive veggies around.

Click on any photo to see larger.

Chicken Salad is a versatile recipe that's delish between 2 slices of bread, or as an appetizer and spread on any favorite cracker. Put a big scoop on your favorite green garden salad for extra flavor and heft.

So get out the leftover cooked poultry and mix up my latest video recipe of Chicken Salad.

Chicken Salad - Video

Play it here. Video runs 1 minutes, 38 seconds.

To view or embed from YouTube, click here.

Ingredients

• 1/2 chicken breast - cooked and cubed. About 2 cups. Okay to use dark meat leg quarter (leg plus thigh.) Use leftover cooked turkey during Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays.
• 1/4 cup chopped onion - okay to add more or less to taste. I fine chopped 1/4 of a white onion. You can use any type of onion including red and green onion.
• 1/2 cup chopped celery - okay to add more or less to taste. I used one celery rib.
• 1 tablespoon pickle relish - optional.
• 1 teaspoon mustard - or Dijon mustard. I've made this salad without mustard.
• 3 tablespoons mayo - any favorite light or whole mayo. Again add a tablespoon at a time to reach your preferred creaminess.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• 1/4 teaspoon Dill - herb can be dried or fresh. Optional ingredient.

Directions
Use boneless and skinless cooked chicken. I used leftover breast meat from a roast chicken.

You can boil/simmer chicken pieces about a half hour in seasoned water. Or, saute chicken in a little oil. Just make sure chicken is cooked all the way through - no pink or red juices.

While chicken cooks you can chop celery and onion. I like onion in salads (tuna, chicken, turkey, egg) fine chopped. For celery, I like pieces a little larger. Okay to chop veggies anyway you like.

Now time to bring it all together. Add chicken and chopped veggies to a bowl.

Mix in a tablespoon of pickle relish. Add 1/4 teaspoon of the herb Dill (optional.)

Stir in a tablespoon of mayo at a  time to reach your desired creaminess. I mixed in about 3 tablespoons. Add teaspoon of mustard. Okay to add or subtract amounts of mayo and mustard.

Finally salt and pepper to taste. Store Chicken Salad in the refrigerator. If you wait a couple of hours before serving, then all the ingredients will have time to meld and become more intense.

I like to scoop my Chicken Salad onto a toasted onion bagel. You can serve Chicken Salad with crackers as an appetizer. Add a scoop of Chicken Salad to your fave salad.

Scrambled Eggs & Refried Beans - Video Recipe

A remembrance of breakfast past, from this Tex-Mex Tightwad Chef, was my grandmother Big Mama setting a big steaming bowl of Scrambled Eggs and Refried Beans with a stack of homemade flour tortillas in front of her brood of hungry grandkids. When I lived in the tiny seaside town of Port O'Connor, Texas, from 4th grade to 7th grade, there was nothing better than this breakfast on a chilly school day morning.

  Scrambled Eggs & Refried Beans - VIDEO

Play it here, video runs 57 seconds.

We lived with her for a short period of time, until my Mom got a job waitressing and we could afford to move to our own place down the street (read all about Mom and her recipes a click away, here.) I was raised on simple comfort food. And you can't get simpler than Scrambled Eggs and Refried Beans.

There was always a clay pot of fragrant pinto beans cooking at Big Mama's house. But you can use canned pinto beans, or any favorite legume including: black beans, black-eyed peas, lentils, white or red beans.

And you can't get cheaper proteins than beans and eggs. Canned beans are always on sale and I can get half a dozen eggs for a $1 at the local Dollar Tree. Eggs have gone up in the last few years, but are still a decent deal.

The cheapest way to go is with a package of dried beans. If you want to make a pot of your own beans then just check out my video link of Miss Patties Red Beans recipe - it's vegetarian (blogpost with text and photos here,) and for a soul food version just add a ham hock or a few slices of bacon. (This recipe is great for Navy or white, pinto and black beans - I also have a lentil bean recipe, just click here.)

I like to keep a few Ziploc bags of cooked beans in the freezer to use when I make my Mom's Mexican Rice recipe, which pairs perfectly and is just a click away.

Whether you use canned or fresh cooked beans, the only prep you have to do is heat up half a cup in a teaspoon of oil and mash them with a fork. (I sometimes even find cheap beans already refried.) And you finish by scrambling in 2-3 eggs. It couldn't be simpler, and it's a hearty and cheap way to start the day.

You can serve Scrambled Eggs and Refried Beans any way you like, with corn or flour tortillas (for tacos or burritos, too) and even on a bagel or English muffin. To kick it up a notch sprinkle on some of your favorite cheese, or add a scoop of my Pico de Gallo Salsa (recipe here.) And make sure to put out a bottle of hot sauce!

Ingredients (1 servings)

• 2-3 eggs - I used medium size eggs.
• 1/2 cup of cooked pinto beans - you can use any favorite cooked legume.
• 2 tablespoon oil - any type. Okay to use less oil.
• Pepper to taste - optional. Canned and cooked beans have plenty of salt for me, but you can add it to suit your taste.
• Serve with flour or corn tortillas - optional.

Directions
Add a tablespoon of oil to a heating pan. Add the beans, along with a tablespoon of broth.

Mash the beans with a fork (or potato masher) as they are heating through. It's up to you how mushy you want the Refried Beans - I like mine slightly chunky. This is how you make typical Refried Beans.

(I always make extra Refried Beans for other favorite Mexican meals. Just type in "Mexican" in the search window at the top right of this page (just below my dollar logo with the moustache) to see some of mine -- and I have plenty.)

I start heating up the tortillas just before the eggs are added. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds or so. To heat up in a medium/hot pan, add a tablespoon of oil then heat tortillas about 1-2 minutes each side.

Once the beans are mashed and warm, push beans to edge of pan and add eggs. Scramble eggs until halfway done. You can use your favorite egg scramble ingredients (a little milk) and do it your way.

Finally mix in the refried beans and finish scrambling until eggs are firm, or done to your taste. Season with extra salt and pepper if you want.

Hindsight

For extra creamy refried beans, just remember to add more bean broth, start with a tablespoon then add a little more, while mashing the beans with a fork (or potato masher) to reach desired creaminess.

If you like more egg than beans then just reduce bean amount.  Make this dish your own and tweak it your way.

I originally published this recipe a few years ago and now have a recipe video to go with it. As always I can't help but make recipe adjustments over time.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here. 

Thanksgiving Recipe Week: Leftovers Pie

Check back for a daily dose of Thanksgiving recipes all this week - it's a digital all-you-can-eat holiday brunch at the Cheap$kate Chateau!

That's the beauty of this recipe, there is no fixed ingredients list, so you use whatever is leftover from your abundant holiday meal (click here for some recipes.) After such a big cooking event, it's nice to have all the ingredients in one place and in one simple serving -- no fuss, no muss.

It's simple really, just layer on your holiday leftovers in a deep baking dish then cover it with a cheap store-bought pie crust. When it's done baking (topped with a golden brown crust) spoon out a serving with a side of cranberry sauce.

You might think that it all mixes together, but no, each bite is different according to what you put in. In my first bite I got a pocket of sausage stuffing topped with turkey and gravy, while in the next bite it was pie crust, veggies, and sweet potato.

For this recipe I used the remains from a turkey dinner. I always make too much stuffing and of course there is plenty of turkey left. We baked orange sweet potatoes, but you can use regular white mashed potatoes.

We chowed down all the veggies, so I added a cup each of cooked corn and sweet green peas. You can add any leftover veggie dish you made.

There was very little gravy left, so I made a fresh batch. I browned some leftover turkey skin and poured in a couple cups of water mixed with 2 tablespoons of flour - it's good enough. You can add more gravy so the recipe resembles a pot pie.

Feeling lazy?

My latest cheap$kate recipe is adaptable to whatever you have on hand. Just get a pre-made pie crust from your local market.

So, save a few leftovers from you holiday feast and check out my video below and make your own delish Thanksgiving Leftovers Pie.

Thanksgiving & Christmas Leftovers Pie - Video

Play it here. Video runs 1 minutes, 35 seconds.

To view or embed from YouTube, click here.

Ingredients
1 to 2 cups each of cooked: stuffing, turkey, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, and any veggies like corn, peas, green beans, Brussels sprouts and squash. Make this recipe your own and add or subtract the leftovers you have on hand.

1 pie crust - Use regular pie dough made with flour, not a graham cracker crust, as it will crumble apart and may burn easily. Also okay to use biscuit dough from the can, just stretch or roll-out enough of the biscuit dough to cover a baking dish or pan that's filled with leftovers.

Directions
I used a deep dish for baking. A pie pan may be too shallow for your ingredients and they may dry out. You could even half the pie dough and use a tall and narrow meat loaf or bread loaf pan.

If you only have a pie pan then check on baking and remove pie as soon as the crust is light brown, by then the filling should be hot enough.

Use any amounts you have leftover from your holiday meal; the above list is just a sample. Fill up the baking dish, but do stop about half an inch from the top - the liquid in your leftovers may overflow the dish. Just to be safe, you can place a cookie sheet underneath the baking dish or pan.

If you baked the stuffing in the bird, it may be mushy. I recommend spreading it out in a baking dish and cook stuffing in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees to dry it out, just a little. Of course, if you like your dressing mushy then go right to assembling the Thanksgiving & Christmas Leftovers Pie. 

As an example I put turkey in the middle and gravy on top. I liked the potatoes on the bottom layer.

Click on any photo to see larger.

We ran out of veggies, so I added some drained and cooked corn and peas. I also ran out of gravy -- that is the only thing I actually spend any effort on. I used a little over a cup of gravy, next time I would add at least 2 to 3 cups of gravy.

It's really up to you what ingredients make up a Thanksgiving & Christmas Leftovers Pie. 

For the pie crust, I brought it to room temperature so the dough is easy to spread over the baking dish. Slice into the pie crust to let out steam from the ingredients below. For this recipe I kept it simple, but you could beat a whole egg, or egg yolk, to brush on the pie dough that yields a shinny golden crust.

Once you have all the ingredients layered in a deep dish and covered with the pie dough, bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Check on the pie dough towards the end of baking and remove if it gets too brown.

Since all the ingredients are cooked, all you are doing is browning the pie dough and heating up the leftovers inside.

Serve Thanksgiving Leftovers Pie with a side of cranberry sauce and extra gravy - yum! 

Thanksgiving Recipe Week - Corn Pudding

Check back for a daily dose of Thanksgiving recipes all this week - it's a digital all-you-can-eat holiday brunch at the Cheap$kate Chateau! And keep checking back for holiday leftover recipes.

Is it a dessert or savory side dish? You be the judge for my cheap$kate video version of Corn Pudding. Maybe it's best to let your guests determine the verdict. So for Thanksgiving today, I sentence you to make a luscious Corn Pudding!

You only need four ingredients: corn, milk, eggs and a tablespoon of honey.

The only big decision is about corn. Do you use fresh corn from the cob, a few cans of cooked corn, or fresh frozen bag of corn kernels? I went the easy route and used frozen, but you can use any type you prefer.

It couldn't be easier to make. Add 3 whisked eggs to milk and stir in a one pound bag of corn kernels (3 cups,) and finally drizzle on a tablespoon of honey (or your favorite sweetener.) Bake the mixture for 45 minutes at 350 degrees -- that's it.

Some recipes sprinkle on a little ground nutmeg for extra festive holiday flavor.

The ingredients are cheap, just the way I like it, especially one pound bags of frozen corn and canned corn.

I think you will like the texture -- it's similar to flan, with the extra crunchy addition of sweet corn kernels.

This side dish is perfect for travel and can be done at the last minute. I did it in under an hour, most of the time reserved for baking. You can make it ahead of time and serve it chilled or warm.

My latest recipe video below features sweet and savory side dish recipe that's simply delicious to make. So for this Thanksgiving holiday meal serve my cheap$kate side dish of Corn Pudding, it has all the right ingredients.

Corn Pudding - Video

Play it here. Video runs 1 minutes, 55 seconds.

To view or embed from YouTube, click here. 

Ingredients (3-4 servings)

• 3 cups corn kernels - fresh, frozen or drained from can. I used a one pound package of frozen corn kernels, that I defrosted and drained.
• 2 cups milk - regular or low fat. I used 2 percent milk
• 3 medium eggs - add an extra egg if they are small. 1 used medium eggs.
• 1 tablespoon honey - Okay to use any favorite sweetener. You can add less, or leave out sweetener, it will still be slightly sweet from the corn.
• Salt and pepper to taste - I left it out for this version.

Directions
Prepare corn kernels, you want 3 cups total. If you use fresh corn removed from the cob, it may take about 4 to 6 ears to fill 3 cups. For canned corn use three 16 ounce cans and drain liquid.

I used a one pound bag of frozen corn. Best to let corn defrost and drain any liquid.

In a bowl or baking dish, whisk 3 eggs together. Don't overdo it, just blend enough to mix well.

Pour milk into baking dish. Add the blended eggs. Stir and mix.

click on any photo to see larger

Finally add the corn and sweetener, again mix well.Okay to leave out any sweetener, corn has a bit of sweetness already.

It's best to use a deep dish so you have a thick pudding. If you only have a shallow baking pan then reduce baking time by about 10 minutes, so pudding doesn't dry out too much.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Remove and allow to sit for about 5-10 minutes before serving. This will allow pudding to set (serve too soon and the Corn Pudding may be too watery.)

Hindsight
Some recipes add a cup (or two) of crumbled or shredded cheese and a sprinkle of nutmeg. And to keep the side dish more savory, you can leave out the sweetener.

Make sure to drain canned corn. Also, to further reduce water accumulation, defrost frozen corn and drain it too. I found a little water on the bottom of the pudding after it cooled down. You can pour it out when baking dish is easier to handle.

By the next day the Corn Pudding will start to break apart - the kernels will separate from the pudding in clumps. It will still taste fine. Also water will continue to come from the corn kernels, just drain the liquid off before serving.