Everyone loves chicken. Surprisingly not, since it is affordable, low in fat content, quick to prepare and taste good too. However, the main attraction why cooks opt for this meat is because it goes well with various kitchen repertoires. To simply say, chicken perfectly complements other dishes, particularly salads.
Most often than not, the breast meat is use for salads because it contains thick meat, as well as easy to cook, juicy and tender. How to cook chicken for chicken salad is not difficult to do. It is not time consuming and does not required kitchen skills. Learn some tips and ways to cook chicken for chicken salad into perfection.
Chicken salad, as its name implies, is mainly made of chopped chicken and mayonnaise. The rest of the ingredients depend on your choices of add-ons. For instance, you may add nuts, cheese, celery, etc.
Begin by preparing your chicken. Thaw it the night before in the refrigerator, or, heat in the microwave oven until warm. Simply follow these steps below:
Step 1: Put the chicken piece in a large pot and filled with water. Bring water to a boil.
Step 2: You may add seasoning to the chicken, but for a neutral taste, a little salt would do.
Step 3: When the water is boiling, lower the heat and allow simmering for a 30 minutes to one hour depending
on the chicken meat sizes.
Step 4: Presence of white foamy frothy particles are visible on the surface as the chicken continues to cook. Just scoop it with a spoon.
Step 5: When the chicken is cooked, pour the broth into a bowl. Set the chicken aside for a while.
Step 6: In the meantime, prepare the chicken salad ingredients:
- 1 pound breast meat halves
- 1/4 tsp dry mustard
- 1 egg
- Half tsp salt
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 2 tsp hot water
- 2 cups red grapes (seedless)
Step 7: Beat the egg using electric mixer, add the salt, mustard, vinegar, and water until frothy and light.
Step 8: Pour a tablespoon of oil, beat thoroughly on each addition.
When the mixture starts to thicken, add more oil. Continue mixing until the consistency becomes creamy.
Step 9: Chopped the chicken meat, and then place in a bowl. Add the grapes, blue cheese, pecans, and a cup of mayonnaise.
Step 10: Stir thoroughly until all the ingredients are well coated. Add more mayonnaise if needed. Place in the fridge until ready for serving.
