Thanks to Lori Stuart, here’s the original recipe for Thalhimers’ Chicken Salad. Lori said on Finding Thalhimers’ Facebook page:
This is the authentic recipe from the old Thalhimers Tea Room lunchroom, (fancy locally owned store chain in VA) given to me by a man who was a personal friend of one of the cooks. This was a secret recipe back then, but now that the store is no more, go ahead and spread it it around. It’s delicious!
Thalhimers’ Chicken Salad
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 cups finely chopped celery
2 tbs lemon juice
1/2 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise (no substitutes, only one thick enough)
1/2 teaspoon white pepper (the “secret ingredient”!)
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a large bowl, chicken, celery, lemon juice and mayonnaise. Stir to blend. Add white pepper and salt, mix thoroughly. Chill before serving.
Then close your eyes and pretend you’re at Thalhimers…
Finding Thalhimers 
Reblogged this on Mary’s Recipe Box.
Thalhimer’s Chicken Salad was always the best!
[…] I found the chicken salad recipe, I realized it was amazingly simple to sub in other kinds of protein for a meatless recipe. […]
I have made this using red pepper instead of white.