Love this chicken salad so much!! It's so delish and fresh and tasty and good on crackers or bread or just by the spoonful. I also love the crunch from celery so it fits perfect here. You don't have too cook a whole chicken and you don't have to soak your onions. It's delish with any variation you go with. Try it!
Ingredients
About 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts - you can use rotisserie chicken too
2 scallions, cut into thirds
¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
1 lemon, halved
⅔ cup mayonnaise,
¼ cup sour cream or crème fraîche, more to taste - greek yogurt works too
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard or 1 teaspoon brine from a jar of pickles, optional
2 or 3 pale green celery ribs, cut into medium (¼-inch) dice
½ cup minced onion or finely sliced scallion, optional - i use shallot too
½ cup walnut or pecan halves, broken into bite-size pieces
3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon, parsley, or chives, plus extra for garnish
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation
Step 1
Choose a heavy pot or Dutch oven with a tightfitting lid. It should be large enough to hold the chicken snugly, but not much bigger. Fill pot about ⅔ full with cold water, but don’t put the chicken in yet. Boil some extra water in a teakettle. I don't always so this, sometimes I use my chicken from my whole chicken (that I haven't blogged yet) and pull the chicken, or a rotisserie chicken-- I like to add to the kitchen aid to shred.
Step 2
Add scallions and peppercorns to water, cover and bring to a rolling boil. Turn off heat and slip chicken pieces into the hot water. If needed, add boiling water from the kettle to cover chicken with water by 2 inches. Replace the lid and let chicken rest in the hot water for about 2 hours. Do not turn the flame back on: The pot will retain enough heat to cook chicken thoroughly and safely. (To test, cut into 1 piece of chicken and check the meat near the bone. If it is still pink, return the pot to low heat, bring the water to a simmer and simmer 10 minutes more.)
Step 3
Lift chicken out of the pot. Remove and discard bones, skin and fat. Pat the meat dry with paper towels, then cut or shred into small bite-size pieces and transfer to a bowl. (Meanwhile, simmer cooking liquid until tasty, strain and refrigerate or freeze to use as chicken stock.)
Step 4
In a bowl, whisk together juice of ½ lemon, mayonnaise and sour cream. If using, whisk in mustard or brine. Taste and adjust the seasonings and thickness to your liking. Pour over chicken, scraping the bowl clean with a rubber spatula.
Step 5
Add celery, onion if using, nuts, herbs and salt and pepper. Toss gently but thoroughly. Refrigerate, covered, at least 4 hours. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle with herbs before serving.
XOXO
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