Cherry Almond Chicken Salad
Classic chicken salad gets a seasonal makeover with sweet cherries and smoked almonds. The dressing is mayonnaise with a boost from mustard and lemon juice. Poached chicken, celery and onions deliver classic chicken salad flavors with juicy bursts of cherry and crunchy bits of almond. Yields about 3 cups of chicken salad, enough for 4 large sandwiches on the bread or rolls of your choice.
Ingredients
Poached Chicken
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 bay leaves
Chicken Salad
- about 2 cups poached chicken, diced into small pieces
- 2/3 cup fresh cherries, pitted and chopped
- 1 large stalk celery, about 1/3 cup finely chopped
- ½ small onion, about 1/4 cup finely chopped
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ cup smoke flavored almonds, chopped
- 4 large sandwich rolls
Instructions
Poached Chicken
- If the chicken is a single large breast, slice in half horizontally.
- In a medium sauce pan, combine chicken, seasoned salt, black pepper, garlic, and bay leaves with enough water to chicken by 1 inch.
- Bring water to a boil over high heat. Reduce to simmer.
- Gently simmer until chicken is done throughout. Adjust timing as needed to achieve doneness. Total simmering time varies depending on the number and size of the chicken pieces. Check thinner slices of chicken at 5 - 6 minutes, larger pieces may require 10 - 15 minutes, or more.
- Remove chicken and cool slightly. Discard cooking water, garlic, and bay leaves.
- Finely dice the poached chicken.
Chicken Salad
- Combine in a medium bowl: chicken, cherries, celery, onion, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and almonds.
- Stir well to thoroughly combine ingredients. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve on sandwich rolls.
Notes
- Poaching requires careful attention to yield chicken that is cooked through but not overdone. Keep a close watch on the saucepan so that you reduce the heat to achieve a simmer immediately after reaching a full boil. A timer is helpful as a reminder to check for the boil after several minutes. After reducing to a simmer, I set the timer anew.
- The total simmering time varies depending on the number and size of the chicken pieces. Adjust timing as needed to achieve doneness. For a 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast sliced in half horizontally, the chicken was done after about 5 - 6 minutes of simmering. Thicker pieces of chicken may require 10 - 15 minutes or more.
- I judge doneness of the chicken by its internal temperature, removing it from the poaching liquid when the chicken has reached the appropriate temperature at its center.
- While I opt for chicken to be finely diced for chicken salad, some cooks shred the chicken which seems to lend a more cohesive look.
- The recipe yields enough for 4 large sandwiches or about 6 smaller sandwiches.