Russian Chicken Salad Sandwich With Spicy Horseradish

This chicken salad sandwich with horseradish takes me back to a time when my grandparents traveled with shoe box lunches on their trips Down Eastern Russia.

This recipe makes me picture my grandma wrapping sandwiches in crisp white handkerchiefs while telling my grandpa, “Hurry up, Michail” so they can hit the road while the sun is still up to start their drive to Voronezh from Volgograd in the Volga filled with children. It just has that nostalgic feeling to it.

I’m not particularly a fan of horseradish on salads. However, add it to a sandwich or use it as a dipping sauce, and I’m smacking my lips together in satisfaction. I added this particular spice to my chicken salad recipe because it’s been reinvented with a new and better taste. It’s creamier and has more buttermilk and savory herbs than earlier versions.

Most people make their chicken salads with mayonnaise or yogurt only, but not me. I believe adding horseradish to chicken salad not only gives it added flavor, but it also makes for a moister chicken salad sandwich. Think about it, wouldn’t you want a really spicy chicken salad sandwich over a dry one any day?!

I think if my grandma was still living she’d definitely say, “Baby wrap me up one of those chicken salad sandwiches, and throw in a couple of bananas for my potassium, for grandma to eat on the way up West.” And because I’m my grandma’s baby I’d smile, do as she said, and fill up a thermos with compote for the road.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Skinless Chicken, chopped
• 1-2 Celery Stalk, 1/4-inch diced
• 1/4 cup Onion, diced
• 1/8 cup Cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup Kinto - Horseradish hot
• 1/2 tsp Pepper
• 1/8 tsp Paprika
• 1/8 tsp Salt
• 1 Croissants

1. Mix all ingredients except croissant in a mixing bowl.
2. Mix ingredients well.
3. Cut croissants in half and slather both open faced sides with butter.
4. Brown croissant halves face side up under broiler.
5. Remove croissant halves and spread a thin layer of mayo on both sides of croissant.
6. Spread chicken salad on croissant halves and fold halves together.

You can make your skinless chicken any way you like, or you can purchase it from the store pre-cooked or cooked. In case, if you don't know where to find this particular kind of horseradish, then try to find a Russian community grocery or use the russiantable internet store. Personally, i would recommend the Kinto horseradish but you can use any of them. The main condition - he needs to be white and really spicy)