Friday, August 17, 2012

Chicken + tarragon = salad


My friend says she grows tarragon in her garden. I'm jealous because even foolproof herbs like basil and mint are not thriving in my garden this year. So I promised this tarragon-growing friend I'd repost my favorite chicken salad recipe. If I had fresh tarragon, I'd certainly use that instead of the dried version. (Double the amount of tarragon if you're using fresh herbs.) I love any kind of chicken salad and particularly love variations on curried chicken salad. But this is my basic go-to chicken salad recipe, based on something I found years in one of the Silver Palate cookbooks. If you're worried about the fat content, use light sour cream or Greek yogurt in place of the regular sour cream. Just promise me you won't even think of using Miracle Whip. I can't tolerate Miracle Whip--I think you have to be a Republican to eat Miracle Whip. Just sayin'.

Chicken Salad With Artichokes and Tarragon
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
32 ounce carton chicken broth
½ cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
1 cup celery, cut into julienne strips
1 tablespoon dried tarragon
Salt and pepper to taste
6 ½ ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped

Place chicken breasts in single layer in a large pot. Add just enough chicken broth (add water or white wine, if necessary) to cover chicken. Heat to simmer, cover, and cook very gently for about 10 minutes, until no longer pink. Remove from heat and allow chicken to cool in liquid for 20 minutes. When chicken has cooled, break into bite-sized pieces.

Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, celery, tarragon, and salt and pepper. Pour over chicken, add artichokes, and blend gently. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours before serving.

Serves 6

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