Basic Chicken Salad

Name: Basic Chicken Salad
Yield: Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients: 1 medium red onion, diced ¼ inch (about ½ cup); 2 cans (about 14 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth or 4 cups water plus 1 tablespoon salt; 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 5 ounces each); 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (if using curry powder); 2 teaspoons celery seed or dill seed; ½ cup mayonnaise or reduced-fat mayonnaise; 4 hard-cooked eggs, cut into quarters; 1 small head Bibb lettuce, separated into leaves, washed, and dried; 6 to 8 cherry tomatoes, halved; 2 teaspoons curry powder (optional); 4 celery ribs, strings removed (Celery Stringing) and finely diced (about 2 cups)

Preparation info

Makes
4
Servings

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Get in There and Cook

By Richard Sax

Published 1997

About

The trick for any delicious chicken salad is to make sure that the chicken remains moist. To ensure that result, I poach the chicken—the perfect cooking method for foods that may have a tendency to dry out, such as chicken white meat or fish.

Ingredients

2 cans (about 14 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth or 4 cups water plus<

Side dish
Spicy
Gluten-free

Method

Heat the broth or water and salt in a 3-quart saucepan to simmering. Slip the chicken breasts into the simmering liquid. Adjust the heat so the liquid stays at a simmer. Poach the chicken breasts until there is no trace of pink in the thickest part, about 8 minutes. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon from the liquid to a plate, cover with wax paper, and cool