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After sending around my chicken salad recipe the other day, I received some good input and suggestions. Here is a “reimagined” version.
The biggest changes are the addition of cream cheese, substituting tart apple for raisins, and a larger quantity of salad. (Someone wrote, “Why go to all that trouble for just a couple of cups of it?”)
It also calls for tarragon, but be careful! Fresh tarragon is very strong: If you use too much, it will overpower everything else and you’ll have licorice-flavored chicken salad. You just want a subtle “note” of tarragon flavor. Start with a half-teaspoon and then add a bit more if you feel it needs it.
CREAMY CHICKEN-WALNUT-APPLE SALAD
4 cups left-over cold chicken
(best if a mixture of dark & white)
Skinned, de-boned and cubed
3/4- to 1-cup mayonnaise (depending on dryness of chicken)
1 stick (8 oz) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
1 tbsp agave syrup
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper (or to taste)
2/3 cup finely chopped celery
2/3 cup finely diced sweet white onion
2/3 cup walnuts, crushed between your fingers
1 large tart green apple, divided
1 tbsp sweet pickle relish
1/2 tsp fresh chopped tarragon
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (for garnish)
Place the cubed chicken in your food processor with all the ingredients in the first group. Pulse until pulverized and creamy. Give it a taste. If the texture is too dry, add more mayonnaise and pulse until it is creamy.
Transfer to a medium serving bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until well blended. Push the top around and up to form little peaks and valleys.
Chill for at least an hour (but better overnight).
Just before serving, sprinkle with the paprika. Garnish around the perimeter of the bowl with the other half of the apple cut into thin slices, then make a small “bouquet” in the middle with three or four apple slices, a large sprig of fresh tarragon, some fine onion slices, maybe a sprinkle of chopped walnuts. (Be creative!)
Serve with slices of whole-grain bread or crackers or heaped on top of some flavorful, juicy tomatoes.
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After sending around my chicken salad recipe the other day, I received some good input and suggestions. Here is a “reimagined” version.
The biggest changes are the addition of cream cheese, substituting tart apple for raisins, and a larger quantity of salad. (Someone wrote, “Why go to all that trouble for just a couple of cups of it?”)
It also calls for tarragon, but be careful! Fresh tarragon is very strong: If you use too much, it will overpower everything else and you’ll have licorice-flavored chicken salad. You just want a subtle “note” of tarragon flavor. Start with a half-teaspoon and then add a bit more if you feel it needs it.
CREAMY CHICKEN-WALNUT-APPLE SALAD
4 cups left-over cold chicken
(best if a mixture of dark & white)
Skinned, de-boned and cubed
3/4- to 1-cup mayonnaise (depending on dryness of chicken)
1 stick (8 oz) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
1 tbsp agave syrup
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper (or to taste)
2/3 cup finely chopped celery
2/3 cup finely diced sweet white onion
2/3 cup walnuts, crushed between your fingers
1 large tart green apple, divided
1 tbsp sweet pickle relish
1/2 tsp fresh chopped tarragon
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (for garnish)
Place the cubed chicken in your food processor with all the ingredients in the first group. Pulse until pulverized and creamy. Give it a taste. If the texture is too dry, add more mayonnaise and pulse until it is creamy.
Transfer to a medium serving bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until well blended. Push the top around and up to form little peaks and valleys.
Chill for at least an hour (but better overnight).
Just before serving, sprinkle with the paprika. Garnish around the perimeter of the bowl with the other half of the apple cut into thin slices, then make a small “bouquet” in the middle with three or four apple slices, a large sprig of fresh tarragon, some fine onion slices, maybe a sprinkle of chopped walnuts. (Be creative!)
Serve with slices of whole-grain bread or crackers or heaped on top of some flavorful, juicy tomatoes.
