Thursday, March 26, 2009

Recipe Exchange Thursday

I am participating in Recipe Exchange Thursday on Just a Gal's blog. This is a recipe for Chicken Salad Contessa from the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten, on the Food Network. I don't like mayonnaise but I love chicken salad LOL I think that is so weird of me. But anyway this is one recipe I really like. I made it for my mom the other day and she couldn't believe that I made it haha. On the website people can leave reviews and I love that about Food Network because sometimes things don't go together quite well. So in fact many people advised to use only 1 tsp of salt and to halve the mayo which I did just to be safe and I posted the optional way to do it in parentheses on here :) If you want to add more you always can but you cannot take it out once it's in there so this is a safe way to try it first lol. This takes a little more work but it is worth it. And it is so much healthier because you eat in on lettuce instead of bread :) Enjoy

Ingredients:
  • 2 split (1 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (1 1/2 pounds)
  • Good olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup pecan halves
  • 1/2 cup walnuts halves
  • 1/2 (or 1/4 of a cup) cup good mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves, divided
  • 1 cup green grapes, cut in 1/2
  • Lettuce leaves, for serving
Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts, skin side up, on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside until cool.

When the chicken is cool, remove meat from the bones and discard the skin and bones. Cut the chicken into a 3/4-inch dice.

Meanwhile, place the pecans and walnuts on a separate sheet pan and toast in the oven for 7 to 8 minutes until golden. Set aside to cool.

For the dressing, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, 2 (or 1) teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Fold in half the chopped tarragon leaves.

Place the diced chicken in a bowl, add the pecans, walnuts and grapes. Pour the dressing over the chicken and toss well. Sprinkle the remaining chopped tarragon leaves on top, and serve on a bed of lettuce leaves.


I hope everyone who wants to try it enjoys it! I think it is a great think to eat around now. I don't really know how the rest of the country is fareing but in southern California we have skipped Spring and we are now in Summer so it's hot lol! And this is cool and creamy :)

5 comments:

bj said...

Ummm...we love Chicken Salad..I make mine a lot like your's but have never tried sour creme..I will try that. Also, when we are in a hurry, I get a rotissery chicken from the deli...fast and they are good, too.
Thanks so much for the recipe...
xo bj

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the recipe it looks great! We also have a fav ck salad with mayo diced apple and horseradish.
mary
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Anonymous said...

I love chicken salad, and Ina... Oh My she is a Fav of mine!!!

Thanks for sharing and being there for the first recipe exchange!!!

All My Best...

Just A Gal...

Tracey said...

It sounds yummy!!!

Unknown said...

This sounds like great, thanks for sharing!