Pro Tips
**Chef's Tips & Troubleshooting:**
- Pat all salad ingredients completely dry so the dressing clings evenly.
- Add the dressing just before serving to keep the greens crisp.
- For roasted chicken, let it rest for 10 minutes after cooking before carving to retain juices.
- Pat the chicken skin dry with paper towels before cooking for maximum crispiness.
Cooking Tips
Blanch leafy vegetables in boiling salted water for 30–60 seconds, then plunge into ice water. This locks in their bright color and crisp texture. Add vegetables in stages — hard vegetables (carrots, potatoes) go in first, tender ones (leafy greens, beansprouts) at the very end.
Ingredient Substitutions
Chicken alternatives: Pork shoulder or boneless thigh meat can substitute for chicken in stews. For lighter fare, extra-firm tofu or seitan works in stir-fries and braises. Short on time? A pressure cooker (Instant Pot) can reduce cooking time by roughly half for most braised and stewed Filipino dishes. Reduce liquid slightly since less evaporates.
Storage & Reheating
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. The flavors often deepen overnight, making leftovers even more delicious. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
Christmas Chicken and Ham Macaroni Salad
Festive Christmas macaroni salad loaded with shredded chicken, holiday ham, pineapple, and raisins in creamy dressing.
Instructions
- Boil water in a cooking pot. Add chicken breasts. Continue to boil in medium heat for 15 to 18 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and let it cool down. Manually shred the meat from the chicken breasts and place in a clean bowl. Set aside.
- Start to cook the macaroni according to package instructions.
- In a large bowl or pot, combine Lady’s Choice Mayonnaise, garlic powder, salt, and ground black pepper. Mix well.
- Add in onion, carrot, raisin, and sweet relish. Continue to mix until all ingredients are well blended.
- Put-in the elbow macaroni. Toss.
- Add ham and shredded chicken. Toss.
- Fold in cubed boiled eggs and cheese. Continue to toss until all ingredients are well distributed. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Transfer to a serving plate. Serve.
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Pro Tips & Troubleshooting
- Pat all salad ingredients completely dry so the dressing clings evenly.
- Add the dressing just before serving to keep the greens crisp.
- For roasted chicken, let it rest for 10 minutes after cooking before carving to retain juices.
- Pat the chicken skin dry with paper towels before cooking for maximum crispiness.
Cooking Tips
Add vegetables in stages — hard vegetables (carrots, potatoes) go in first, tender ones (leafy greens, beansprouts) at the very end.
Substitutions
Short on time? A pressure cooker (Instant Pot) can reduce cooking time by roughly half for most braised and stewed Filipino dishes. Reduce liquid slightly since less evaporates.
Storage & Reheating
Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
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