Pimento Cheese Chicken Salad Two-Ways
From Carrie Morey's Hot Little Suppers cookbook
Ingredients
- • 12 oz Traditional or Fiery Pimento Cheese
- •12 oz chicken salad of your choice
- •For sandwiches: slices of bread
- •For dip: Biscuit Crackers, crudité, or other chips
One of my favorite ways to wrap up the day at our Hot Little Biscuit eatery locations is to make a little meal for our staff to enjoy as we clean up or to take to-go for the rest of their day ahead. Usually it’s simple recipes that I can throw together quickly to keep the closing routine going without making too many more dishes or prolonging the time there, and this has become a go-to for those afternoons!
Here’s two-ways to combine two throw-together easy meals (or snacks, if you’re feeling like it) using our delicious hand-shredded pimento cheese and your favorite chicken salad. I love using this recipe as a base and switching up the additions for whatever we have on-hand at the eateries or at home.
If you’re feeling like a fuller meal, definitely opt for the sandwich and serve alongside some chips or veggies as a simple but delicious weeknight meal. And if you’re looking for the easiest app or after-school/work snack that comes together in minutes, opt for the dip option! But truly, you cannot go wrong with either!
Instructions:
Sandwiches:
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Begin by buttering one side of two slices of bread. Lay them down, buttered side down, on a prep surface and scoop pimento cheese onto one slice of bread. Smooth it out to cover the surface of the bread. On the other slice, follow the same instructions with the chicken salad.
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Sandwich the pieces together and place a medium sized pan over medium-high heat. Add a small amount of butter to coat the pan.
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When the pan is warmed up, place one of the buttered sides of the sandwich down. Allow to cool until golden brown, about two minutes depending on the level of heat. Flip the sandwich and cook on the other side until golden brown.
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Transfer the cooked sandwich to a plate or serving dish; slice in half and enjoy!
Dip:
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Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
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In an oven-safe dish, add an entire container of pimento cheese and an entire container of chicken salad. Mix together with a spoon or spatula.
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Bake the dip for about 10 minutes or until all pimento cheese is melted and combined; I recommend keeping an eye on it as it cooks to make sure it doesn’t overcook!
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Carefully transfer dip to heat-safe serving dish or serve in the baking dish alongside biscuit crackers, crudités, or other sides of choice. Allow to cool slightly before serving and enjoy!
