Smoked Chicken Salad

I love chicken, don't you?  Just about every mammal does.  As every pet owner knows, even the most well-behaved dog will rip a piece of roast chicken out of your hands. Counting your fingers afterwards may be a necessity:=).  Interestingly, (well, to me anyway) birds refuse to eat another bird. They will happily devour beef mince and steak but will not touch turkey mince or pieces of chicken.  On the occasions I've tried this, they have turned up their avian noses and hopped away in disgust.    

I found this recipe on a site called Kiwi Faves, by a lady called Sherryn (no relation).  I have adapted it slightly - no papaya for us. She says her family go mad for it each Christmas.  While I think it is very tasty and a good accompaniment to a meal, I'm not sure it would send me to the brink of insanity - but you know, those Kiwis...  Witness their sad struggle to claim pavlova as their own invention.

ready to dress

Serves 4-6


ingredients:


1 smoked chicken - approx 1.2 kg, or 2-3 smoked chicken breast fillets that equal approx. 600-700g.

340g. green or red grapes 

500g. nectarines, peaches or pawpaw

a handful of pecans (optional)

2 tbs chives, snipped finely (optional)

Cos or baby Gem lettuce, to serve



for the dressing:


250g. sour cream

1-2 tbs lemon juice

1-2 tsp grain mustard

salt and pepper to taste

2 spring onions, finely sliced


Method:


Pull the chicken apart and cut into bite-sized chunks, or slice and dice the breasts

Throw into a large serving bowl

Add the grapes and nectarines and stir gently together

Put all the dressing ingredients into a small bowl and mix together

Pour/spoon the dressing into the salad bowl; mix gently

Place into the fridge for a few hours to chill or even overnight

Check for seasoning and add more if needed

Throw on the nuts and chives if using

Place the lettuce leaves on a large platter

Spoon the chicken salad onto the leaves

Delicious on its own or with other salads


Notes:


This makes a very creamy dressing; I think you could get by using a wee bit less sour cream, or maybe subbing a bit of plain yoghurt instead

I did a bit of research on how much flesh you get from a chicken carcass - 70/30 (meat/bones) seems to be the consensus on the Net, but I think it is more likely to be 60/40 after weighing the stripped down skeleton for this dish

ingredients

chop up the chook

and the nectarines

everything goes in the salad bowl 

stir the dressing together

pour the dressing into the salad bowl 

give it a good but gentle stir

Lord N. of The Rocks showing off the dish

Lord N. and Lady J. of The Rocks came to dinner.  He kindly held the platter while I took a photo of the dish ready to eat.  I kindly did not post the photo of his head which strangely ended up looking like the Martian who came to dinner :=)

my nectarine doodle