Cooking With Rania: Summertime Chicken Salad
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Rania Harris, of Rania's Catering, is making Summertime Chicken Salad!
Summertime Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 5 teaspoons champagne vinegar
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken breasts (see directions below)
- ¼ - ½ cup blanched slivered almonds, toasted
- ½ cup minced Vidalia onion
- 1 large celery stalk, diced small (1/2 cup), plus leaves
- 1/3 cup dried apricots, diced small
- 1/3 cup dried cherries
- 1/3 cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, yogurt, garlic, paprika, and vinegar. Stir in chicken, almonds, onion, celery, apricots, cherries and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Add more mayonnaise if necessary to moisten the salad. Serve with croissants or multi grain rolls.
Serves: 4
To poach the chicken:
3 - 4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts
Low sodium chicken stock – enough to cover the chicken
Place the chicken in a pot in a single layer and cover with the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and cook, covered until the chicken is cooked through. Begin checking the chicken after 8 minutes. It is done when opaque through the middle and an instant read thermometer in the thickest part registers 165 degrees. The chicken typically finishes cooking in 10 – 14 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat. Remove the chicken from the pot and allow to cool before shredding.
You may have more than 3 cups of shredded chicken depending on the size of your chicken breasts. Poached chicken will hold in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months if wrapped well.