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Mix and Match Chicken Salad

Let your fancy roam in this salad


List of Ingredients






This is a chicken salad I make a lot in the summer. The directions
are not very exact, but that's OK, because it always turns out very
well, no matter what I throw in. Depending on the how much meat you
like, the number of people you want to feed and/or the size of the
bowl you want to use:

1-4 whole chicken breasts, poached, cooled, and diced.

(The easiest way to do this: get a big pan-dutch oven size, and fill
it up about 2/3's with water. Bring to a rapid boil. Put in the
chicken, and bring back to a boil. As soon as it boils, put a lid on
the pan and remove it from the heat. Let it sit undisturbed for 60
minutes. Your chicken will be perfectly cooked, moist and tender.
You can do a whole chicken this way.)

1-4 c. pasta, cooked al dente

(I like the large shell-roni, but any kind works.) I usually add equal
amounts of chicken and pasta.

Mix and match 4 to 8 (or more) cups of the following ingredients:

chopped sweet onion (Vidalia, Walla Walla, etc.)
chopped celery
ripe avocado, peeled and chunked
finely diced carrot
baby zucchini, sliced
fresh mushrooms, sliced
fresh or frozen baby peas (if you use frozen, just
dump what you want to use in a colander and let
it thaw. No need to cook.)
artichoke hearts, quartered
cooked garbanzo beans
cooked black beans
hearts of palm
black olives, sliced
leftover boiled potato, chunked
ripe tomato, chunked
fresh spinach, torn,
any other fresh veggies you like

Dill Sour Cream Dressing (Hah, you thought this was going to be good
for you, didn't you?)

This has to kind of operate by feel, because the amount of dressing
depends, of course, on the amount of salad.

Roughly equal amounts of good mayonnaise
and sour cream.
A good dollop of prepared mustard--I like to use a
hot honey mustard, but any kind you like is dandy.
A little milk or buttermilk to thin it down just a little--
you want it to be pourable.
1, 2, or more cloves of finely chopped garlic--again,
depends on what you like. I like a very garlicky
dressing, so I tend to use a LOT.
Some chopped fresh dill--enough to have a distinct
dill taste and aroma.

Put all the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl and whisk it
together. I usually add the milk last, so I can control the
thickness. Put the chicken, pasta, and vegetables in a bowl. Pour
the dressing over, and toss. Serve with a nice crusty bread, and this
is a complete meal.


Recipe