Orange Avenue Chicken Salad from 1906 Lodge
Across San Diego Bay from California’s second-largest city, Coronado Island combines the charms of an island oasis with the convenience of proximity to popular attractions like Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo. And for over a century, 1906 Lodge has been a popular vacation retreat tucked into a quiet neighborhood just two blocks from Coronado Beach. The lodge exudes a tranquil elegance with an upscale coastal vibe, complete with lush garden pathways filled with the scent of jasmine, a central courtyard lined with roses and bougainvillea, and bubbling fountains cascading into a shallow pool. Inside, many of the lodge’s 17 guestrooms feature private entrances, balconies, spa tubs, wet bars, and cozy fireplaces. It’s no wonder Business Insider named the property one of the 30 Best Boutique Hotels in America, or that it recently earned the TripAdvisor Travelers Choice Award.
A short one-block stroll from the lodge leads guests to Orange Avenue, home to Coronado’s vibrant shopping and dining scene. The mile-long stretch is named for the orange trees that once lined it, before local jackrabbits discovered just how delicious oranges could be and decimated the trees. Now lined with fine dining and over 50 boutique shops, Orange Avenue is one of the most engaging and eclectic entertainment districts in the San Diego metro area.
After guests explore Coronado’s beautiful beaches and Orange Avenue’s charms, they eagerly head back to 1906 Lodge for its complimentary happy hour. Alongside culinary amenities like a full breakfast buffet each morning and freshly baked cookies each afternoon, happy hour at the lodge offers guests a chance to mingle while enjoying savory bites and a glass of wine. Among the favorite appetizers is a flavorful chicken salad that the innkeepers often serve in mini croissants.
This is no ordinary chicken salad. Named after Coronado’s main street, Orange Avenue Chicken Salad is just as eclectic and engaging. The recipe is full of flavor and texture surprises that run the gamut, including savory (chicken, green onions, bell pepper), crunchy (celery and toasted pecans), sweet (grapes and dried cranberries), and tangy (blue cheese crumbles). Uniting and enhancing all those bold ingredients is the lodge’s own homemade seasoning salt. Served as an appetizer on mini croissants or toast rounds, this elevated chicken salad is the perfect crowd-pleaser for holiday parties, Super Bowl gatherings, family outings, and more.
Orange Avenue Chicken Salad
Courtesy of 1906 Lodge
Makes 6 to 8 servings (fills 32 mini croissants)
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked, chopped chicken (about one roasted chicken)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon seasoning salt (see below for recipe)
- Black pepper to taste
- ¾ cup Craisins (dried cranberries)
- ½ cup chopped celery
- ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
- ½ cup halved green grapes
- ½ green onion, chopped
- ¼ cup minced green bell pepper
- 1 cup chopped and toasted pecans
Seasoning salt (store remainder in an air-tight container for other uses):
- 6 tablespoons salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon marjoram
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt or garlic powder
- 2 ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon curry
- 1 teaspoon dried mustard
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon dill weed
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
Directions
Mix the mayo, paprika, seasoning salt, and pepper.
Blend together the Craisins, celery, blue cheese, bell pepper, onion, chicken, and grapes.
Mix everything well and chill overnight.
Add the toasted nuts just before assembling the sandwiches.