Salade de Poulet

It’s an unseasonably warm 89 degrees here today, the perfect time to share one of Mike’s favorite summer meals, chicken salad.  I know that doesn’t sound very swanky, maybe not even very interesting, but this one gets elevated to new heights by combining the chicken with homemade apple cider mayonnaise, dried cranberries and toasted pecans.  Serve this on a croissant to really wow the crowd, or on a bed of lettuce for a simple warm weather lunch.

Chicken Salad with Cranberries and Pecans
Serves 8

Dressing:
2 large egg yolks
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil

Salad:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, poached and chopped into bitesize pieces
3/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped (I use Craisens)
2 ribs celery, diced
3/4 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped

In a food processor or blender, combine the egg yolks, vinegar, sugar, mustard and salt. With the motor running, add the oil slowly, in a thin stream until it is completely emulsified. Refrigerate until ready to combine with the chicken.

Place chicken, cranberries and celery in a large bowl. Add mayonnaise and mix to combine thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate 8 – 10 hours or overnight. Just before serving add the pecans and toss to combine.

Nutrition Information (does not include croissant):

Weight Watchers PointsPlus – 12

Calories – 451
Total Fat – 31 g
  Saturated Fat – 2.9 g
Cholesterol – 119.6 mg
Sodium – 178.4 mg
Total Carbohydrates – 14.8 g
  Dietary Fiber – 1.9 g
  Sugars – 11.2 g
Protein – 29.1 g