A guide to meat salads

When you think of "salad" you probably think of "lettuce with some dressing and maybe other stuff." But there is a whole genre of salads made with meat, and some of them are pretty tasty. And if you use lean meat with a low-fat mayonnaise or other spread, they are a pretty good way to get extra protein in your diet without having to cook or adding too many calories to your meals.

These salads are great as a sandwich filling. You can also drop them onto a bed of lettuce and add a little more greenery to your diet. Salads travel well as long as they are kept chilled, which makes them a great candidate for your workday lunch roster.

Tuna Salad
Everyone knows tuna salad, right? Tuna + mayo, spread on white bread. But tuna salad can go upscale, too. If you're looking for something a little different, try this "grown up" version featuring fennel.

Chicken Salad
Take shredded chicken, mix it with a bit of light mayo, add salt and pepper and you've got a delicious way to use leftovers from a roasted chicken dinner the night before. (This works for Thanksgiving turkey leftovers too, obviously.) Some people like to add grapes and dill. Personally I like to add minced celery.

Ham Salad
I'll be honest with you, I never knew ham salad was a thing until I heard a throwaway reference in a recent episode of The Cleveland Show. A basic ham salad recipe is a great way to use leftover ham. This basic recipe includes minced red onions, a splash of Dijon mustard, and a squeeze of lemon among other ingredients.

Egg Salad
Eggs aren't exactly meat, but they definitely fall into this category of salads. Egg salad can be a chore, but spice it up with these clever variations. Just use caution if you take egg salad to work… please don't eat it at your cubicle. Take that thing outside or something.

Chicken salad biscuit sandwich image courtesy Flickr/Gil Riego, Jr.