Tuesday's Cupful: Chicken Kelaguen

The Mixed Stew is on hiatus for the holiday. We are serving up oldies but goodies (re-runs) for the whole week. Happy New Year!

Post from July 20, 2009

Forget the mayo with this twist on chicken salad

Chicken kelaguen is a dish that conjures up ceviche flavors. It is a signature dish from Guam. White and dark meat of chicken is cooked on a grill or under a broiler until just done (it is important not to overcook the chicken or let it sit too long after removing from heat). Then the chicken meat should be deboned, chopped finely, and mixed with grated coconut, freshly squeezed lemon juice, chopped green onions and hot peppers. Add salt and black or white pepper to taste. Next, refrigerate it for at least three hours so that the flavors can combine. Serve this at your next party with pita bread chips or tortilla chips. Small flour or corn tortillas are great too. Just wrap a serving of the kelaguen in the tortillas and eat like a soft taco. Serving this dish cold is a must. We don't get too wrapped up in portions for this recipe as it takes some trial and error for each cook to reach the right mix that he or she prefers. But if you must, here is one version of a recipe.