Potato salads are traditionally made with russet potatoes, salad dressing (Best Foods or Miracle Whip), mustard, onions, pickles and, sometimes, eggs. If you would like to treat your taste buds to something new, the piquant flavors of this Bleu Cheese, Bacon and Chicken Potato Salad are made to order! Each ingredient lends color, texture and, above all, marvelous taste.
Red potatoes are finer in texture than russets and their delicate skins lend color to the salad. Green onions also add color, providing a more gentle flavor than red, white or yellow onions. Black olives add a nice contrast – carrots and celery provide a crunch. Cooking the chicken pieces with seasonings before combining with the other ingredients enhances the overall flavor of the salad. The robust dressing is a blend of bleu cheese, bacon, mayonnaise and sour cream.
Ingredients
6 – 8 large new (red) potatoes
12-15 chicken tender pieces (boneless sections of chicken breast)
3 – 4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 T. olive oil
1 – 2 T. Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning Blend.
Salt and fresh-cracked black pepper
1 tsp. fresh dill (or fresh dried dill), chopped
1/3 C. dill pickle relish (the author recommends Vlasic relish)
6 green onion stalks
2 celery stalks (preferably the tender center stalks)
10 small carrots
1 small can sliced black olives
½ C. bacon bits (use real bacon)
1/3 C. crumbled bleu cheese pieces
¾ C. Litehouse Bacon Bleu Cheese Dressing ½ C. each sour cream and Best Foods Mayonaise
Directions
1. Cut potatoes into ½” chunks – do not remove the tender skins
2. Boil the potatoes in enough water to cover until tender – do not overcook
3. Sauté the garlic and chicken pieces in olive oil in a medium size frying pan. Sprinkle with Mrs. Dash
Seasoning, salt and pepper while cooking. Stir and cook until done.
4. Thinly slice the celery, carrots and green onions.
5. In a large bowl, mix the pickle relish, chopped vegetables, olives, bacon bits and fresh dill.
6. Add bleu cheese and bacon dressing, bleu cheese bits, mayonnaise and sour cream.
7. Fold in cooked potatoes and cooked chicken pieces. Adjust flavor with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve this potato salad warm in the European tradition or chilled on a bed of iceberg lettuce. If you prefer a less bold bleu cheese flavor, omit the crumbled bleu cheese pieces. Be prepared – one serving is never enough!
