A simple and classic chicken salad recipe is gussied up with a hint of lemon juice and the sweet and tart crunch of a Granny Smith apple. Creamy and satisfying, this salad can be served over baby mixed greens, on toasted multigrain bread or right out of the bowl.
Ingredients:
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 1/2 pounds total)
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 medium Granny Smith apple, diced
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley or dill
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Place the chicken in a high-sided skillet and cover with cold water. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to the water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and poach the chicken for 10 minutes, until firm to the touch, opaque and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers at 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the water to a cutting board and cool. Once cool, shred the chicken by hand and then roughly chop.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon, parsley, and green onion. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and gently fold in the celery, apple, and chopped chicken.
Tip: Use 2 1/2 cups leftover shredded roasted or rotisserie chicken in place of poaching the chicken breasts to make this salad in no time at all.
