Tarragon Chicken Salad

Name: Tarragon Chicken Salad
Cook time: P2H
Total time: P3H
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Fusion
Ingredients: broiler fryers; white wine; shallots; tarragon leaves; salt; black pepper; yogurt, plain; water; new potatoes; green beans; safflower oil; salt; black pepper; purple onion

Submitted by Kramnation

Tarragon chicken salad dressed in a light yogurt sauce built on a white wine, shallot, and fresh tarragon reduction, then plated with new potatoes and crisp green beans. A composed, mayo-free chicken salad.

YIELD

8 servings

PREP

30 min

COOK

2 hrs

READY

3 hrs

This is chicken salad with a French accent, lighter and more composed than the mayo-bound deli kind. The dressing skips mayonnaise entirely. Dry white wine, minced shallots, and fresh tarragon cook down until the liquid vanishes, concentrating that anise-sweet herb flavor before it folds into cool plain yogurt.

Letting the yogurt dressing chill for a few hours is what gives the tarragon time to bloom all the way through, so don’t rush it.

Rather than tossing everything together, the salad is plated as a composed platter: the dressed chicken mounded in the center, ringed by tender new potatoes and crisp-tender green beans tossed lightly in oil. Cooking the potatoes and then the beans in the same water builds a little extra flavor and saves a pot.

Thin strips of red onion add a sharp bite against the creamy chicken.

Kitchen Tips

Roast the chicken a day ahead and chill it. Cold, firm meat cubes cleanly instead of shredding into mush.
Cook the wine-shallot-tarragon mixture until the liquid is fully absorbed, or the dressing turns watery.
Pull the green beans while still crisp-tender and bright. Overcooked, they go drab and limp on the platter.
Make the yogurt dressing several hours ahead so the tarragon flavor has time to develop.

Variations

Use leftover rotisserie or poached chicken to skip the long roast.
Stir a spoonful of Dijon mustard into the yogurt for extra tang.
Swap the green beans for asparagus, or add halved cherry tomatoes for color.

Ingredients

EACH BROILER FRYER *

CUP WHITE WINE
dry, or vermouth *

TABLESPOONS SHALLOT
minced

TABLESPOON TARRAGON LEAVES
fresh, chopped, or 1 t. dried tarragon, crushed

⅛

TEASPOON SALT

⅛

TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER

1 ½

CUPS PLAIN YOGURT

CUPS WATER

POUND NEW POTATOES
small, quartered

POUND GREEN BEANS
fresh

TABLESPOON SAFFLOWER OIL
other vegetable oil

⅛

TEASPOON SALT

⅛

TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER

SMALL PURPLE ONIONS
cut into thin strips *

Directions

Remove Giblets and Neck From Chicken. Rinse Chicken and Pat Dry. Place Chicken in A Large Cooking Bag.

Seal Bag According To Package Directions. Cut Slits in Top Of Bag.

Place Chicken and Bag in A 13 X 9 X 2 Inch Baking Pan. Bake At 350 Degrees For 2 Hours OR Until drumsticks Move Easily. Remove From Bag and Let Cool.

Skin and Bone Chicken; Cut Into ½ in. Pieces. Cover and Chill. Combine Wine, Shallots, Tarragon, ⅛ teaspoon Salt and ⅛ teaspoon Pepper in A Small Saucepan; Cook Over Medium Heat Until All Liquid Is Absorbed.

Combine Herb Mixture and Yogrut in A Medium Bowl. Cover and Chill Several Hours. Bring 2 Cups Water To A Boil in A Medium Saucepan.

Add Potatoes; Cover, Reduce Heat and Simmer 5 Min. OR Until Tender. Remove Potatoes From Liquid, Reserving Liquid.

Set Potatoes Aside. Wash Beans, Trim Ends and Cut in Half. Return Reserved Liquid To A Bowl.

Add Beans, Cover, Reduce Heat and Simmer 5 Min. OR Until Crisp- Tender. Drain. Combine Reserved Potatoes and Beans; Add Oil, ⅛ teaspoon Salt and ⅛ teaspoon Pepper, Tossing Gently. Cover and Chill. Combine Reserved Chicken, Yogurt Mixture and Purple Onion.

Spoon Into Center Of A Serving Platter. Arrange Potatoes and Green Beans Around Chicken Mixture.