My Current Favorite Chicken Salad (07/05)

 

2 boneless chicken breasts (1 lb.)

fennel

granny smith apple

mayonnaise to taste

salt and pepper

truffle-flavored olive oil

pignoli nuts

 

Cook chicken in boiling water with tops of fennel added for flavor. Twenty minutes. Let cool in broth. Chop into pieces. Mix with chopped apple and fennel, a drop of truffle oil, mayonnaise, and pignoli nuts for extra crunch.

 

Other ways to make a great chicken salad:

Poach chicken in simmering water with celery, onion, and parsley for 1/2 hour. Cool and chop.

Add cucumber, walnuts, parsley, tarragon and mayonnaise.

Season with curry powder, salt, pepper.

OR:

Simmer two boneless chicken breasts in water seasoned with salt, pepper, and Old Bay for 25 minutes. Let cool in broth. Cut in pieces.

Blend 2 tsp. curry powder in one cup mayonnaise. Add chopped walnuts. Add chicken. Add something else. Leftover coconut rice (with ginger) is delicious! Or try one or more of the following: apples, celery, raisins, chutney, cucumber, mango.

 

The basic idea is, boil the chicken for at least 20 minutes. Cool it. Chop it. Add mayo and whatever else you're inspired to add.