Ok, I know there’s nothing exciting about chicken salad. In fact, I generally don’t really like it. I love the chicken, and I’m fond of a good mayonnaise (especially home made), but, for me, these are two great tastes that don’t taste great together. And, again for me, tricks like adding curry, nuts, grapes and the like just don’t solve this fundamental problem with the traditional dish.
This recipe changed my mind about chicken salad. It replaces the heavy mayonnaise with a light, healthy, tangy dressing made from yogurt, lemon and tahini (a paste made from sesame seeds that you can now buy in most supermarkets). Blanched green beans add fresh-tasting crunch, and a big handful of chopped cilantro gives the dish a bright, herbal finish. (If you’re not a cilantro fan, parsley is nice too.) It’s a light, satisfying meal on its own.
It’s also another solution to my ongoing dilemma of what to serve for lunch to summer house guests. A cold rotisserie chicken from the market is a quick and tasty family lunch, but plopping a cold carcass on the table probably isn’t the best way to show our guests how much we care. This dish makes a more elegant (and complete) meal, but I can still put it together the night before in about half an hour.
Recipe
(Adapted from Chicken Salad with Green Beans, Tahini-Lemon-Yogurt Dressing, and Cilantro from Salad as a Meal by Patricia Wells.)
Ingredients
For the salad:
8 ounces (250g) green beans
About 1 1/2 pounds (750g) cooked chicken (here from one small roasted chicken)
1 1/2 cups (350 ml) sliced celery
1/2 cup (120 ml) minced fresh cilantro leaves (or parsley)
Salt and pepper
For the dressing:
2 fresh cloves of garlic
1/4 cup (60 ml) tahini (sesame paste)
1/2 cup (120 ml) plain yoghurt
About 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon table salt or fine sea salt
Instructions
For the dressing:
1. Mince the garlic by hand or in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment.
2. Add the other ingredients, blend well and taste for seasoning.
Dressing can be used immediately or stored in the fridge for up to a week.
For the salad:
1. Prepare a large bowl of ice water. Trim the beans and cut them into about 1 inch (2 cm) pieces.
2. Fill a large pot with at least 3 quarts (3 liters) of water and bring it to a rolling boil. Salt the water generously (about 2 tablespoons of table salt or 3 of coarser salt) and blanch the beans until tender but still a little crisp, about 4-5 minutes. (Stay close and start-crunch testing after about 3 minutes.)
3. The moment they’re done, drain the beans in a colander and then dump them into the ice water. Cool them for no more than 2 minutes and then remove them and dry in a kitchen towel.
4. Remove the chicken from the carcass, skin it and cut it into about 1/2 inch (1 cm) cubes. Cut the celery into about 1/4 inch (.5 cm) slices, and finely chop the cilantro.
5. In a large bowl, combine the beans, chicken and celery. Toss. Add enough dressing to coat the ingredients lightly and evenly. Add the cilantro and toss again. Taste for seasoning
Serve with freshly ground pepper and lemon wedges. To make ahead, combine everything but the cilantro well in advance — even the day before. Chop and add the cilantro just before serving.
