pandemic bread baking (Recipe: Spring Chicken Salad)

**Authors note: My dear friend, Ms. Mary asked me for this recipe nearly two months ago. This is my public admission of being a real louse for not posting it sooner. Love you, Ms. Mary!

The interwebs are full of blossoming amateur bakers in the current day and age. Apparently global pandemics bring out a little domestic goddess in everyone. I too have hopped on the bandwagon of bread, and there have been very few complaints from the household in that regard.

But as the temperatures outside rise, I find myself craving more than just cool butter on that freshly baked loaf. While I could and would shamelessly make a meal of bread, good butter, and wine alone, a “proper” meal after a warm swampy Texas day calls for some umph. I didn’t grow up eating chicken salad or any creamy salads for that matter (remember that whole “world’s pickiest eater” bit?). Once married, I was asked to produce something of the like and have thusly developed this recipe which is heavily based on the “Best Chicken Salad” published by the incomparable Julia Moskin in the New York Times. As usual, you should play with the ratios and make this your own. You know I do.

Spring Chicken Salad

3-4 pounds chicken breasts (while bone in will give you a more chickeny flavor, I use boneless skinless and they work fine – just beware them drying out)

Chicken base/boillion/stock

½ cup mayonnaise (I like to use a blend of our standard house mayo (Whataburger) and some Asian Mayo (Kewpie)

1 cup store bought (or homemade if you are really going to be that fancy) French onion dip (H-E-B makes an absolutely serviceable one)

1-2 lemons (2 small or one large gives you the juice you need)

1-2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2-3 Tbsp brine from the pickled jalepeno jar hiding in the back of the fridge (you know it’s there in yours too!)

1 cup diced scallions (mainly the green parts)

1 cup diced celery (I like mine razor thin)

2 big handfuls pecan halves

3(ish) Tbsp chopped fresh herbs (I like about 50% parsley with some tarragon, chives, and a little sage)

Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

1. Place the chicken into a favorite large pot or dutch oven, season with a good bit of salt and chicken bouillon (if using) and cover with just enough cold tap water to have covered by an inch at the top. **Note: if you are so inclined (or are doing so for other purposes) pre-brining your chicken with salt, spices, and some of that good old chicken bouillon or base adds some extra tastiness!)
2. Bring to a rolling boil, put a lid on it, and turn all the way down to the lowest setting to simmer. Cook for an hour and change on low or until the internal temperature of you chicken reaches at least 165 degrees F.
3. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Save that salty chickeny “stock” water in your fridge (strained or not) and use it for anything that needs a punch of liquid goodness later this week! Once cool enough to touch, cube up the chicken into desired bite-sized morsels. You could also shred it, if that’s more your thing.
4. In a medium to large bowl, whisk the mayo, french onion dip, mustard, and jalapeño brine together. Zest in a half teaspoon (more to taste preference) of lemon zest and then add the juice from the lemon(s). **Note: roll those suckers aggressively on the kitchen counter with the heel of your hand to maximize juice extraction!
5. Add the diced celery, scallion, and cooled chicken and stir to coat. Go ahead and hit it with the first round of kosher salt and lots of fresh ground black pepper (more to follow). Taste. Is it too thick? Too mayo-ey? Need some spice or more lemon? Adjust. It’s your chicken salad, after all – make it taste just right to you!
6. Add your nuts, chopped herbs, and another round of salt and pepper. Taste it again. Adjust as needed. You don’t want to beat it to death, but you want everyone thoroughly mixed. Once you’re happy with it, slap some clear kitchen wrap on top of the bowl and put in in the fridge so that the flavors can marry. 4 hours is a minimum here, and honestly overnight (or even a couple days) in the fridge makes it all the better.
7. Serve on lightly tasted bread, crackers, or just sneak it straight out of the bowl!

Cheers!