Description
Home cooks can elevate ordinary chicken salad with fresh herbs and crunchy almonds. Mediterranean-inspired ingredients create a light, satisfying meal perfect for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 to 3 cups cooked chicken meat
- 1 lb (454 g) raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2 ½-inch chunks
- ⅓ head iceberg lettuce, sliced and chopped
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- ½ red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- ¼ cup chopped red onion
- 4 to 6 green olives, pitted and minced
- ½ to 1 apple, cored and chopped
- 5 tbsps (75 ml) mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) plum preserves or any sweet berry preserve
- 2 tsps (10 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Poach Chicken: Create a salted water bath in a deep pot, bringing to a boil. Submerge chicken, reduce heat, cover, and let cook in residual warmth for 15 minutes until tender and moist.
- Craft Dressing: Whisk mayonnaise, preserves, and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and black pepper to enhance flavor complexity.
- Vegetable Preparation: Dice celery, bell peppers, olives, red onion, and apple chunks. Fold these vibrant ingredients into the creamy dressing, creating a textural symphony.
- Chicken Integration: Cool poached chicken briefly, then dice into uniform bite-sized pieces. Gently incorporate into the dressed vegetable mixture, ensuring balanced flavor distribution.
- Final Assembly: Just before serving, tear or chop crisp iceberg lettuce and delicately mix into the salad, providing a fresh, crunchy foundation that elevates the entire dish’s sensory experience.
Notes
- Poaching Perfection: Use gentle heat and residual warmth to prevent tough, dry chicken – ensures tender, succulent meat every time.
- Dressing Balance: Whisk mayonnaise, preserves, and lemon juice carefully to create a harmonious blend of tangy, sweet, and zesty flavors.
- Vegetable Variety: Dice ingredients uniformly for consistent texture and ensure each bite delivers a complex flavor profile with crunch and brightness.
- Serve Fresh: Add crisp lettuce just before serving to maintain maximum crispness and prevent wilting, keeping the salad vibrant and appetizing.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Poaching
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg