SERVES 4 TO 6
To ensure that the chicken cooks through, don’t use breasts that weigh more than 8 ounces or are thicker than 1 inch. Make sure to start with cold water in step 1. We like the combination of parsley and tarragon, but 2 tablespoons of one or the other is fine. This salad can be served in a sandwich or spooned over leafy greens.
Salt and pepper |
|
4 |
(6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, no more than 1 inch thick, trimmed |
½ |
cup mayonnaise |
2 |
tablespoons lemon juice |
1 |
teaspoon Dijon mustard |
2 |
celery ribs, minced |
1 |
shallot, minced |
1 |
tablespoon minced fresh parsley |
1 |
tablespoon minced fresh tarragon |
1. Dissolve 2 tablespoons salt in 6 cups cold water in Dutch oven. Submerge chicken in water. Heat pot over medium heat until water registers 170 degrees. Turn off heat, cover pot, and let stand until chicken registers 165 degrees, 15 to 17 minutes.
2. Transfer chicken to paper towel–lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until chicken is cool, about 30 minutes. While chicken cools, whisk mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in large bowl.
3. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and cut into ½-inch pieces. Transfer chicken to bowl with mayonnaise mixture. Add celery, shallot, parsley, and tarragon; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve. (Salad can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)