When I was a kid, chicken salad was low on the sandwich totem pole. It always seemed more afterthought than real food: All the leftover bits of chicken (including, invariably, some unidentifiable chewy parts), smothered in mayonnaise and garnished with the occasional speck of celery. But if you start with the right ingredients, plain old chicken salad can be so...

When I was growing up, peanut-butter sandwiches were as common in lunchrooms as apples. But today, most schools and day-care centers are peanut-free zones because of the hazards they pose for some children. Peanut allergies are now one of the most common causes of food-related deaths. Ironically, peanuts are part of the legume family, along with peas and beans. Not...