my favorite chicken salad in new york city is at ess-a-bagel, where i order a warm whole wheat everything bagel piled high with their creamy chicken salad, lettuce, tomatoes and onions. if i'm not ravenously hungry, i usually won't be able to finish it and save the rest for later. being health conscience and all, i devised a recipe that's only *slightly* healthier than the mayo-laden goodness - to be enjoyed at home with multi-grain bread and your choice of toppings.
creamy chicken salad
(serves 3-4)
ingredients:
1 chicken breast, poached and shredded
1/4 c non-fat plain greek yogurt
1/4 c mayonnaise
2 celery stalks, chopped
quarter of a large onion, chopped
1/4 c roasted walnuts, chopped
1/4 c dried cranberries
1/2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste
instructions:
to poach the chicken breast, bring a small pot of water to a boil and place the whole breast meat in the pot and turn the heat down to a simmer. you may add some extra flavorings to the pot if you wish, such as celery chunks, carrots or onion quarters. let poach for 25 minutes. afterward, transfer the chicken to a plate to let cool. after it cools, shred the chicken with your hands and place the meat in a large bowl.
while the chicken is poaching, chop the onion, celery and nuts. after all the ingredients are chopped and the chicken is shredded, add all the ingredients to the large bowl and toss thoroughly.
