Herby Pesto Chicken Salad
This herby pesto chicken salad has a lot of what we love about pesto. It's creamy and rich with a touch of salty parm and textured with toasted pine nuts throughout.
Ingredients
- 450 g chicken breast
- 50 g fresh basil
- 30 g parsley, stems removed
- 20 g cilantro, stems okay
- 35 g lemon juice, 1 lemon
- 200 g mayonnaise
- 400 g cooked chicken breast
- 30 g parmesan cheese, grated
- 2-3 g chili flakes
- 4 g kosher salt
- 50 g shallots, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, grated or minced
- 50 g toasted pine nuts
MAYONNAISE (RECIPE MAKES ABOUT 250G):
- 1 large egg
- 20 g water
- 20 g white distilled vinegar
- 5 g kosher salt
- 325 g neutral oil, avocado, canola, grapeseed, etc
Instructions
- To cook the chicken, salt well on both sides then allow to sit and dry brine for around 15-20 minutes.
- Boil a pot of water, then reduce the heat to low until water temp reaches 180°F/82°C (to test water temp, I just use my meat thermometer)
- Stir a very large handful of salt into the water then gently drop in the chicken breasts. This should drop the water temp to about 165°F/75°C. Poach for 20 minutes at a temp of 165°F/75°C.
- Note: if you're poaching more than 2 breasts, the temperature may drop below 165°F. If this happens, increase heat and monitor the water temp to keep it as close to 165°F/75°C as possible while poaching.
- When cooked, the internal temp of the chicken should read 150-155°F/65-68°C.
- In a food processor, combine basil, parsley, (stem removed), cilantro, lemon juice, and mayo. Process until the herbs are broken down.
- Transfer the herby mayo to a stand mixer bowl and add most of the chicken breast , about ¾ (setting aside about ¼ of the chicken). Also add grated parmesan, chili flakes, salt, minced shallots, garlic cloves, and toasted pine nuts.
- Mix with the paddle attachment until well combined and the chicken is becoming shredded.
- Add the remaining chicken breast and mix on low for 20 or 30 seconds, until just combined
MAYONNAISE (RECIPE MAKES ABOUT 250G):
- Add all ingredients except oil into a high sided container. Blend with an immersion blender then slowly stream in oil. When you get to the last of the oil, it may start pooling on top of the mayo. If that happens, move the immersion blender to the top of the mayo and work it up and down a bit to incorporate the oil into the mixture.
Notes
Equipment:
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This pesto chicken salad was so good! I really appreciate how you create recipes that allow home cooks to make restaurant quality meals at home, while still being very approachable and fun to make. The combination of ingredients was so interesting, and everything came together beautifully.
It’s also clear how much thought and testing goes into your recipes. I love finding recipes that actually work and feel a little special without being overly complicated.
My only question was the serving size. The recipe says 2 servings, but it seemed to make quite a bit once prepared. I’m wondering if it might actually be closer to 4 servings? Definitely not a complaint. It was delicious, and I’ll happily have leftovers!
Thank you for all the work you put into creating such great recipes for home cooks!