Chicken Salad
also called deli chicken salad · chicken mayo · tarragon chicken salad · chicken salad spread
- Deli
- serves 6
- about 1 hr 45 min
- Salads
Three ways to read this recipe
The table
| 1 1/2 lb(680 g)boneless chicken breasts | poach the breasts 15 min, rest 10 min in the pot | dice into half-inch pieces | fold in the celery and scallion | chill 1 hr |
| 2 qt(1.9 L)water | ||||
| 1 Tbskosher salt | ||||
| 1bay leaf | ||||
| 1 tspblack peppercorns | ||||
| 3/4 cup(180 mL)mayonnaise | whisk the dressing | |||
| 2 tspDijon mustard | ||||
| 1 Tbslemon juice | ||||
| 1 Tbs(chopped)fresh tarragon | ||||
| 3/4 tspkosher salt | ||||
| 1/2 tspblack pepper | ||||
| 2 ribs(diced small)celery | ||||
| 3(sliced thin)scallions | ||||
What to lay out
Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.13 things to get out.
1poach the breasts 15 min, rest 10 min in the pot
2whisk the dressing
4fold in the celery and scallion
goes in with what steps 2 and 3 made
Cooking it
Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.
The clock
- Start to finish
- at least 1 hr 25 mintwo waits that overlap count once
- Needs you
- none givenof the steps that give a time
3 of the 5 steps never say how long they take, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 1 hr 45 min.
poach the breasts 15 min, rest 10 min in the pot
25 minwalk awayfrom the start
whisk the dressing
not timedfrom the start
dice into half-inch pieces
not timed25 min in
fold in the celery and scallion
not timed25 min in
chill 1 hr
1 hrwalk away25 min in
- you can walk away
- never timed
Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them.
Goes with
See how it is written
>> title: Chicken Salad
>> category: Salads
>> tags: chicken, mayonnaise, poached, sandwich filling, make-ahead
>> counters: Deli
>> aka: deli chicken salad, chicken mayo, tarragon chicken salad, chicken salad spread
>> pairs-with: mayonnaise, white-sandwich-bread, chicken-broth
>> servings: 6
>> time: 1 hr 45 min
>> step.1: poach the breasts 15 min, rest 10 min in the pot
>> step.2: dice into half-inch pieces
>> step.3: whisk the dressing
>> step.4: fold in the celery and scallion
>> step.5: chill 1 hr
Poach @boneless chicken breasts{1 1/2%lb}(680 g) in @water{2%qt}(1.9 L) with @kosher salt{1%Tbs}, @bay leaf{1} and @black peppercorns{1%tsp}: bring it barely to a tremble, ~poach{15%min}, then take the pot off the heat and ~rest{10%min} with the chicken still in the liquid. Poached, not roasted — roast chicken salad is a good thing made of leftovers, and this is the one the case sells, pale and juicy and tasting of chicken rather than of browning.
Dice @&(~1)poached chicken{} into half-inch pieces once it is cool enough to handle. Shredded chicken drinks the dressing and goes stringy; diced chicken stays in pieces you can see.
Whisk @mayonnaise{3/4%cup}(180 mL), @Dijon mustard{2%tsp}, @lemon juice{1%Tbs}, @fresh tarragon{1%Tbs}(chopped), @kosher salt{3/4%tsp} and @black pepper{1/2%tsp} together.
Fold @&(~1)dressing{} through @&(~2)diced chicken{} with @celery{2%ribs}(diced small) and @scallions{3}(sliced thin).
Chill @&(~1)chicken salad{} ~chill{1%hr} before serving. Three days in the fridge; on a croissant, on white with lettuce, or scooped onto a plate with a wedge of tomato.