It’s SUMMER!! Here to celebrate with a truly genius spin on chicken salad that will have you never turn back to the original!
Walestable is keeping busy with lots of meal prep these days, and this has become a fast favorite. A spicy spin on the classic chicken salad has a few upgrades, including shredding the poached chicken in the stand mixer – I waited too long on this, and am here to tell you it’s a game changer for texture.
The recipe comes from Sara Tane, a west coast chef I grabbed this from – thanks Sara! The best part is the tangy pepperoncini peppers, but you could lighten up on this if you are heat averse. This sits for days happily and is genius for a beach or boat picnic in the summer heat. This might just be a 4th of July hit!
Pepperoncini Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt for poaching
- ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
- ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp sour cream
- 2 medium stalks celery finely chopped
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
- ½ cup pepperoncini peppers thinly sliced, plus 3 tablespoons pickling liquid
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon preferably whole grain dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped calabrian chiles optional, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a stock pot full of water to a boil, adding about 1 Tbsp of salt as it hits the boiling point. Add the chicken breasts, and poach at a simmer for about 15 minutes - check for doneness with a meat thermometer and make sure it hits 165 F. Set aside to cool - preferably in the fridge.
- Make the salad: Shred the chicken with two forks, or place the breasts in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (THIS WORKS REALLY WELL!!). Process on low until shredded, which can take a minute or two.
- In a large bowl, mix chicken, mayonnaise, sour cream, celery, red onion, peperoncinis, peperoncini liquid, dill, mustard, and calabrian chilies (if using). Season to taste with salt and pepper, as needed.
- Serve immediately as is, or make a dreamy summer sandwich with lettuce, pickles and lots of salt and vinegar chips. Salad will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
