Apricot and Rosemary Chicken Salad

There’s nothing quite like a fresh chicken salad at a summer barbecue. It cools the mouth between those spicy bites of BBQ and has the most wonderful creamy texture, accented by the occasional crunch of fresh celery. This one incorporates ripe apricots, for a little bit of a sweet-and-sour kick. The key to the rich flavor of the chicken is to cook the breasts with the bone in and skin on so the flavors from the skin and bones seep into the meat while cooking. And even though the bone and skin are discarded, their rich flavor remains in the salad. • serves 4


Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Rub the chicken with the olive oil and ¼ teaspoon of the salt, place in a casserole, and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken is at least 165°F. Let cool until warm enough to handle.

Peel the skin off the chicken and remove the meat from the bone by gently easing your fingers underneath the breast meat to peel it off the bone in one large piece. Cut the breast meat into roughly ½-inch cubes and place in a large bowl. Add the celery, mayonnaise, rosemary, black pepper, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and stir until combined. Add the chopped apricot and mix gently so as not to crush until evenly distributed throughout the salad. Serve immediately.