Take chunks of tender chicken, fold in a big scoop of creamy mayonnaise then toss in crisp, sweet apples, toasted pecans and plump, little currants. It’s a simple comfort that offers a tasty break in your week.
There are so many versions of chicken salad. This is a family favorite – one we’ve made for years. It’s both lightly sweet and a touch salty – perfect to highlight those savory bites of chicken. Start with chicken poached with a touch of vinegar, a bit of sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves and kosher salt. And while you’re cooking, double up and freeze the extra for soup or casseroles.
Take the chicken and combine it with apples, crunchy pecans, currants, real mayonnaise and a touch of sugar, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
It’s a simple recipe, one that will remind you of the chicken salads found in those quaint tea rooms – one scrumptious little bite!
Apple and Toasted Pecan Chicken Salad
For the poached chicken:
2 large chicken breasts, with skin on and bone in, about 2 pounds
2 tablespoons rice or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Water to cover
Place the chicken in a large stockpot along with the vinegar, sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves, and kosher salt. Pour in enough water to cover the chicken.
Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook with the stockpot partially covered until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear, about 45 to 60 minutes.
Remove the stockpot from the heat and let the chicken rest in the cooking stock for an additional 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter and let rest until it’s cool enough to handle. Pull the meat from the bone and shred. Makes 4 cups.
For the chicken salad:
2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
¾ cup chopped apples
½ cup toasted chopped pecans
½ cup currants
½ to ¾ cup mayonnaise
2-½ teaspoons sugar
½ to 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Toss the shredded chicken into a large bowl along with the apples, pecans, currants, and ½ cup of the mayonnaise.
Add the sugar, ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir until well blended, adding the remaining mayonnaise and kosher salt if needed.
Makes about 4-½ cups chicken salad. Keep refrigerated.
Apple and Toasted Pecan Chicken Salad
Equipment
- Large stockpot
Ingredients
- For the poached chicken:
- 2 large chicken breasts, with skin on, bone in, about 2 pounds
- 2 tablespoons rice or white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Water to cover
- For the chicken salad:
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
- ¾ cup chopped apples
- ½ cup toasted chopped pecans
- ½ cup currants
- ½ to ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2-½ teaspoons sugar
- ½ to 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- For the poached chicken:
- Place the chicken in a large stockpot along with the vinegar, sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves, and kosher salt. Pour in enough water to cover the chicken.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook with the stockpot partially covered until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear, about 45 to 60 minutes.
- Remove the stockpot from the heat and let the chicken rest in the cooking stock for an additional 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter and let rest until it’s cool enough to handle. Pull the meat from the bone and shred.
- Makes 4 cups shredded chicken.
- For the chicken salad:
- Toss the shredded chickeninto a large bowl along with the apples, pecans, currants, and ½ cup of the mayonnaise.
- Add the sugar, ½ teaspoon ofthe kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir until well blended, adding the remainingmayonnaise and kosher salt if needed.
- Keep refrigerated.
