Chicken Salads

By Luci

It’s a summer favorite because it’s delicious, cool, refreshing and takes to so many variations. The “classic” has shredded chicken breast, red onion, celery and mayo. Vary its taste by using chicken that is prepared differently (poached, roasted, grilled, fried, rotisserie), using different types of alliums (sweet onion, chives, green onion, leeks, shallots, garlic), herbs (just about anything your market or garden has), and flavored mayos (sour cream, yogurt, spices, soft cheese). Additives such as tomato, bacon, nuts, lettuce or whatever might please you. 

Here are two of my favorites. I much prefer poached chicken for its texture and flavors added to the poaching liquid.

Northern European (leeks, dill, sour cream)

SALAD IN BOWL

This combination is common in Northern European cuisine, yielding a taste heftier than more common chicken salads. 

Ingredients

For poaching:

Cold water to cover the chicken

1 large leek, white and light green parts, roughly chopped

8 sprigs dill

6 black peppercorns

A small yellow onion

1 large chicken breast, on the bone with skin

For the salad:

8 ounces poached chicken, shredded

1 packed tablespoon chopped dill

4 tablespoons mayo (homemade or Hellmann’s is best)

5 tablespoons full-fat sour cream

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation

To poach: To the cold water in a large pot add the leek, dill, onion and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then add the chicken breast. Lower the temperature and watch carefully to gently simmer the chicken for 20 minutes. Small bubbles are best. Remove from the heat, let cool and shred.

For the salad:

1.  Mix together the mayo and sour cream.

2.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

   
   

Serve on rye bread with dill pickles on the side. An ice-cold IPA (India pale ale) makes a perfect beverage.

Provençal Inspired (chives, lavender, thyme, parsley, crème fraîche

Herbes de Provençe is a blend of various dried spices used in much of the cooking in the region. I love to include lavender for its wonderful fragrance and complex taste - definitely floral, a bit sweet and slightly bitter. Crème fraîche, (cultured heavy cream), adds depth and liveliness.

Ingredients

For poaching:

Cold water to cover the chicken

3 tablespoons chives, roughly chopped 

1 teaspoon dried culinary lavender buds

6 sprigs thyme

6 sprigs parsley 

6 black peppercorns

1 large chicken breast, on the bone with skin

For the salad:

8 ounces poached chicken, shredded

2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

1/2 teaspoon dried culinary lavender buds

1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme leaves

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

4 tablespoons mayo (homemade or Hellmann’s is best)

6 tablespoons crème fraîche

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional if more tartness desired)

Preparation

To poach: To the cold water in a large pot add the leek, dill and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then add the chicken breast. Lower the temperature and watch carefully to gently simmer the chicken for 20 minutes. Small bubbles are best. Remove from the heat, let cool and shred.

For the salad:

1.  Mix together the mayo and crème fraîche.

2.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Serve on croissant with green olives and a good Chardonnay.