The Only Way Frank Sinatra Would Take His Chicken Salad Sandwiches

The late great Frank Sinatra was a fascinating individual when it came to his culinary preferences. If you were lucky enough to have him perform at your venue, there were quite a few food-related hoops you'd have to jump through. He demanded large quantities of specific sodas in his dressing room, along with cough drops, liquor bottles, and cigarettes. In addition, he'd order at least three different sorts of sandwiches, with ingredient instructions included. In particular, he wanted chicken salad sandwiches, but, according to a technical rider that has survived decades, he wanted them light on the mayo.

The long list of dressing room demands, which also includes a crock pot, bars of ivory soap, and an upright piano, says he requests minimal mayo in his chicken salad sandwiches. It's worth noting that it doesn't seem like he hated mayonnaise in general, though, because this was the only sandwich he requested with a small amount of it. Other surviving riders also mention chicken salad sandwiches, so it was a usual go-to for him. Sinatra wasn't the only fan of this poultry classic, as Dolly Parton was also fond of making chicken salad sandwiches in particular ways. You can still try Sinatra's version today, if you tweak your recipe a little.

To make the best possible estimated clone of his sandwich, you have to consider the time Frank Sinatra came from. While his heyday was back in the 1960s Rat Pack era, the rider lists are from the '80s and '90s. American-style protein sandwiches and chicken salad were all the rage during that time, so it makes sense that he'd gained such a fondness. Sinatra was a fan of chicken salads without the bread, as he frequented the restaurant of Sylvia Cheng Wu, who first popularized Chinese chicken salad (without any mayo) in the 1960s.

So, to make a sandwich that Frankie would like, you want to use classic styles from the '80s or even before, just with as little mayo as possible. Chicken salads of this time usually included cooked, shredded, or cubed chicken, celery, lemon, eggs, and various spices. Often during the 1980s, a pinch of curry was added to the mix as well. 

All that's typically combined with a substantial amount of mayo, but in this case, you only need to add a spoonful or two to achieve the Sinatra preference. To avoid mayo entirely, substitute it with a little sour cream or cottage cheese, though that's unlikely to be how Ol' Blue Eyes took it. Stick the mixture between slices of toasted bread with a leaf of lettuce and chill before serving. If you're looking to add more Sinatra to your culinary habits, consider making his classic spaghetti and meatballs recipe.