Rosemary Apple Chicken Salad

I’ve never been one of those people who hates condiments. Ketchup, soy sauce, salsa – bring it on. To me, a nice slather of Dijon or dollop of sour cream are like food accessories. They really do complete the ensemble. Case in point: mayonnaise. Why does this this creamy spread garner such hatred? Is it the fat? The texture? I’m personally on Team Mayo for it’s ability to add richness and flavor to a ho-hum sandwich or dressing. Do I use it often? Not really. It is fairly high in calories and while the homemade kind uses canola oil (a so-called “good fat”), it’s not exactly a health food.

So what do I do? I believe I learned this trick in the “how-to-get-a-man-by-cooking-him-a-chicken” section of a girly magazine  - mix that mayo with Greek yogurt! Now, I usually don’t get my cooking advice from a magazine that also encourages me to use that same Greek yogurt as a facial exfoliant but hear me out. Those girly mags are on to something. Greek yogurt is thick and tangy enough to boost up mayo and nearly undetectable in preparations like chicken salad. The best part? You can use the leftover Greek yogurt as a hair mask mixed with leftover avocado….

Rosemary Apple Chicken Salad

Yield: 3 cups

Ingredients

Salad

•  2 whole chicken breasts, bone-in and skin-on (preferably organic & free range!)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 3 ribs celery, small dice
• 1 medium apple, small dice
• 1 shallot, finely chopped

Dressing

• 1-2 T. mayo (homemade or store bought)
• 1-2 T. Greek yogurt (lowfat or nonfat)
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 T. lemon juice
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 tsp. honey (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Optional Add-ins:

Handful of chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds, raisins, dried cranberries or dried apricots

Directions

1.  Place chicken breasts in a medium to large pot and cover with cold water, enough to cover the chicken by 1-inch. Place bay leaf and rosemary in pot. Place on stove and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, cover pot partially, allowing steam to escape and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the celery, apple and shallot. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, Greek yogurt, Dijon, rosemary, lemon juice and zest and honey, if using and salt and pepper to taste.

3. Strain the chicken, discarding the bay leaf and rosemary sprig. Allow chicken to cool. Remove the skin and shred the meat into small pieces with a fork or your fingers.

4. Combine the chicken with the apple/celery mixture. Add the dressing and stir to combine. If you are adding nuts or dried fruit, add these now. If the mixture appears too dry, add more mayo/Greek yogurt. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over a bed of greens or as a sandwich.

*This tastes best when prepared a few hours beforehand to allow the flavors to develop.

Original Recipe

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