Description
Ina Garten’s mustard chicken salad blends creamy Dijon with tender roasted chicken for a luxurious lunch option. Fresh herbs and crisp celery create a delightful texture that beckons you to savor each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 2 whole (4 split) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (3 pounds / 1.36 kilograms)
Vegetables and Fresh Herbs:
- 5 cups (1.18 liters) small broccoli florets
- 1 pint (473 milliliters) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon leaves
Sauce and Seasonings:
- 1½ cups (355 milliliters) mayonnaise
- ½ cup (118 milliliters) Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup (59 milliliters) whole-grain mustard
- 2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
- Good olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prep the oven by heating to 180°C / 350°F. Position chicken breasts on a baking sheet, massaging with olive oil and generously seasoning with salt and pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes until thoroughly cooked through, ensuring internal temperature reaches 74°C / 165°F.
- Remove chicken from oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes. Carefully discard skin and bones, then slice meat into uniform, bite-sized cubes approximately 1.5 centimeters / 0.5 inches.
- Fill a large cooking pot with water, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a rolling boil. Create an adjacent ice bath in a separate large bowl with cold water and ice cubes.
- Submerge broccoli florets in boiling water for precisely 60 seconds, maintaining their vibrant green color and crisp texture. Immediately transfer to ice water using a slotted spoon to halt cooking process.
- In a spacious mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, tarragon vinegar, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until achieving a smooth, consistent texture.
- While chicken remains slightly warm, incorporate it into the prepared dressing, ensuring each piece is evenly coated. Gently fold in fresh tarragon leaves, blanched broccoli, and halved cherry tomatoes.
- Transfer salad to a sealed container and refrigerate for 2-3 hours, allowing flavors to harmonize. Before serving, let sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes and adjust seasoning if needed.
Notes
- Maximize chicken’s flavor by generously seasoning with salt and pepper before roasting, ensuring a delicious and memorable dish.
- Preserve broccoli’s vibrant green color and crisp texture by quickly plunging it into an ice bath after cooking.
- Enhance the salad’s taste by mixing warm chicken with dressing, allowing for deeper flavor absorption.
- Elevate the recipe’s uniqueness with fresh tarragon, which brings an irreplaceable fragrant dimension to the dish.
- Give the salad time to develop its full potential by refrigerating for a few hours, letting ingredients harmonize perfectly.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 950 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg