Tarragon Chicken Salad
Our Tarragon Chicken Salad is a unique twist on the iconic deli chicken salad, adding in complementary fresh ingredients as well as offering two elegant presentations to choose from. And it can be prepared the day before serving, making it perfect for a luncheon or casual busy day dinner.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 432kcal
Ingredients
Tarragon Dressing
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise or 3/4 cup mayonnaise and 3/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 1/2 teaspoons fresh tarragon chopped – see Note
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh basil chopped – see Note
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- Kosher salt to taste
Chicken Salad
- 1 medium head napa cabbage chopped - see Note
- Kosher salt to taste
- 8 ounces mushrooms white or cremini
- 2 1/2 cups cooked chicken shredded (around 1 purchased rotisserie chicken)
- 1/3 cup chopped or sliced red onion
- 10 ounces peas frozen, thawed & drained
- 1 medium cucumber peeled & chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes grape or small - cut in half
Instructions
Tarragon Dressing
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, tarragon, basil and pepper. Season to taste with salt and more pepper (may not need any salt). Set aside.
Chicken Salad Assembly – Layered Version
- Spread the chopped cabbage in the bottom of a shallow, 3-quart casserole or serving dish (a pretty 9-by-12 inch dish works well). Sprinkle lightly with salt.
- Top with the mushrooms, then chicken, then onion, then peas and scatter cucumber over the top. Again, sprinkle lightly with salt.
- Spread dressing evenly over the top. Garnish with cherry tomato halves, cut side up (you may not need the entire pint – it depends on the size of the tomatoes).
- Cover and chill salad at least 4 hours or overnight.
Chicken Salad Assembly – Rows in Bowl Version
- Spread the chopped cabbage in the bottom of a large shallow platter or 8 large, shallow individual bowls. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
- Arrange remaining ingredients in rows – onions, then peas, then cucumber, chicken tomatoes and ending with mushrooms. Again, sprinkle lightly with salt.
- Cover and chill salad(s) at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Place dressing in a pretty bowl and serve on the side.
Notes
Note on cabbage: Napa cabbage is oval-shaped and lighter in color than regular cabbage, and the leaves are wrinkly and slightly curled on the edges. If you can’t find it, substitute baby (or regular) bok choy or regular green cabbage.
Note on herbs: Try to use fresh tarragon and basil rather than substituting dried herbs for this recipe – it will taste much better!
Nutrition
Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 20g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 351mg | Potassium: 750mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1011IU | Vitamin C: 60mg | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 2mg