The Old-School Dish Most People Probably Wouldn't Eat Today

One look at a menu from the early or mid-20th century, and it's easy to see how dramatically the food we eat has changed over the years. While some old-school dishes remain as delicious and desirable as ever, other formerly common menu items might provoke a raised eyebrow (or worse) from modern eaters. For many folks, there's little doubt that the surprisingly vast array of gelatin-based meals are among them, particularly unusual savory ones like jellied chicken salad.

Those who aren't familiar with jellied chicken salad might be forgiven. While this sort of dish might have been served at a 1950s luncheon, it's a rare preparation in modern kitchens. As opposed to more familiar chicken salads that toss pieces of chicken and other ingredients in a creamy, mayo-based dressing, jellied chicken salad relies on the distinctive properties of gelatin that you commonly see in sweet Jell-O desserts. Pieces of cooked chicken, celery, olives, and onion mixed together in a clear, savory base of gelatin, chicken broth, and lemon juice, then chilled until firm. Some recipes recommend serving it with mayo or sliced olives, while others suggest tomato wedges or buttered peas and avocado. 

Although some versions can be traced back to Betty Crocker recipes from the 1970s (and many 1950s cookbooks were focused on Jell-O, as well), the exact origin of this entree isn't known. However, it's part of a broad tradition of stretching and enhancing leftovers or other bits of food by encasing them in gelatin, a trend that exploded in the early 20th century as commercially produced gelatin products became more readily available.

If this vintage meal has you losing your appetite, you may be thankful that it belongs among the surprisingly long list of old-school dishes no one eats anymore. This group also features now-unusual offerings such as jellied tomatoes, fish mousse, beef tongue canapes, or bacon-wrapped chicken livers and water chestnuts, known as rumaki. But even if jellied chicken salad isn't your idea of comfort food, don't write off 20th-century recipes entirely. Many have noticed a variety of old-school ingredients making a comeback, including Jell-O itself.

To be sure, food trends come and go, and there's no telling what current styles and recipes will look like in a few decades. However, it's hard to blame present-day eaters — even those with a love of vintage dishes — if they want to avoid jellied chicken salad.