A light summer dish for lunch or dinner
This classic chicken salad recipe is simple to make and super versatile. Add South Asian flavors, use it as a sandwich filling, or layer it on top of crackers. It’s also a great way to use leftover cooked chicken.
Poaching the Chicken
To poach the chicken, Add parsley, onions, thyme, and carrot to a medium saucepan. Add the bone-in chicken breasts and about five cups of chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
When done, remove bones and skin. Chop the meat into pieces, about half an inch in size. The tender chicken is ready for the salad. Discard the bones and skin, but save the broth in the refrigerator for another dish.
Ingredients
1 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed and strained
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper and Kosher salt, to taste
4 cups diced poached chicken (see method above)
1 stalk celery, diced to 1/4 inches
2 tablespoons shallot, diced
2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
Sliced chives to be a garnish
Preparation
1. Mix together lemon juice, mayonnaise, mustard and salt and pepper.
2. Toss together with chicken, shallots and spices in a large bowl.
3. Add the dressing (from the first step) to the chicken mixture. Combine all and refrigerate for at least one hour. You can also refrigerate overnight to meld the flavors together. Use chives to garnish.
Make it Fancy
Use your leftover roasted chicken instead of poaching chicken. Toast pecans and add red grapes. Serve on a toasted croissant as a sandwich or in pita bread.
Add greens by serving the salad in lettuce cups, or enjoy on a bed of greens for lunch.
Add-ins and Variations
Some additional ingredients will add a new dimension to the meal. Experiment with fruits such as grapes, apples, and dried cranberries, or top with walnuts, toasted almonds, or even greek yogurt mixed with mayonnaise.
Add flavor with herbs like tarragon, curry powder or other spices of your choice.
