Chicken Salad with Apples and Walnuts

Name: Chicken Salad with Apples and Walnuts
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 2 large breasts, each no thicker than 1 inch (2.5 cm); halve horizontally if thicker; 1 tablespoon (18 g) kosher salt, for the poaching water; 1 whole (1 g) bay leaf (optional); 6 cups (1400 ml) cold water, enough to cover the chicken by 1 inch (2.5 cm); ¾ cup (75 g) walnut halves, raw, to be toasted, cooled, then roughly chopped; 1 large (about 8 oz) (225 g) large firm sweet-tart apple, cored and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes, peel left on; 2 medium stalks (120 g) celery stalks, thinly sliced, about 1 cup; 3 whole (45 g) scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced; ¼ cup (35 g) dried cranberries (optional); 2 tablespoons (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional); ¾ cup (180 g) plain Greek yogurt, full-fat or 2%; ¼ cup (55 g) mayonnaise; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 lemon; use 1 tablespoon in the dressing and 1 tablespoon to toss the apple; 2 teaspoons (10 g) Dijon mustard; 2 teaspoons (14 g) honey; ½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground, plus more to taste

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender poached chicken, crisp apple, celery and toasted walnuts in a creamy, tangy Greek yogurt dressing lightened with just a little mayo. Great on bread, in lettuce cups, or on its own.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 1 hr
Total: 1 hr 50 min
Makes: About 5 cups (6 servings of roughly ¾ cup each)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the chicken
1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 2 large breasts, each no thicker than 1 inch (2.5 cm); halve horizontally if thicker
1 tablespoon (18 g) kosher salt, for the poaching water
1 whole (1 g) bay leaf (optional)
6 cups (1400 ml) cold water, enough to cover the chicken by 1 inch (2.5 cm)
For the salad
¾ cup (75 g) walnut halves, raw, to be toasted, cooled, then roughly chopped
1 large (about 8 oz) (225 g) large firm sweet-tart apple, cored and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes, peel left on
2 medium stalks (120 g) celery stalks, thinly sliced, about 1 cup
3 whole (45 g) scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
¼ cup (35 g) dried cranberries (optional)
2 tablespoons (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
For the dressing
¾ cup (180 g) plain Greek yogurt, full-fat or 2%
¼ cup (55 g) mayonnaise
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 lemon; use 1 tablespoon in the dressing and 1 tablespoon to toss the apple
2 teaspoons (10 g) Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons (14 g) honey
½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground, plus more to taste

Equipment (7)

Large lidded saucepan or deep skillet (3 to 4 quart / 3 to 4 L)
Small skillet (8 to 10 inch / 20 to 25 cm) for toasting walnuts
Instant-read thermometer
Large mixing bowl
Cutting board and chef's knife
Two forks or a stand mixer paddle for shredding (optional)
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Chicken needs about 25 minutes to poach and rest, then 20 minutes to cool and at least 30 minutes to chill, so plan for roughly 1 hour 50 minutes in total.
Already have about 3 cups (450 g) of cooked chicken? Skip steps 2 to 4 and start at the cooling and shredding step.
Use a firm, sweet-tart apple such as Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala or Pink Lady. Soft apples turn mealy in the salad.
Use plain, full-fat or 2% Greek yogurt. Non-fat can taste chalky and make the dressing thin.

1
Toast the walnuts
- Set an 8 to 10-inch (20 to 25 cm) dry skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add the walnut halves and toast for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan often.
- Tip them onto a plate right away so they stop cooking, then let them cool while the chicken poaches.
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Ready when: Walnuts smell nutty and toasty and are a shade darker with lightly golden edges.
Tip: Walnuts go from toasted to bitter quickly. Don't walk away from the pan.
2
Start the poaching liquid
- Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in a 3 to 4-quart (3 to 4 L) saucepan or deep skillet.
- Add the 1 tablespoon kosher salt, the bay leaf if using, and enough cold water to cover the chicken by about 1 inch (2.5 cm), roughly 6 cups.
- Set over high heat and bring to a gentle boil with small bubbles rising, about 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Small bubbles break steadily at the surface and a little foam forms.
Tip: Starting in cold water heats the chicken gently so it stays tender rather than rubbery.
3
Poach and rest chicken
- As soon as the water reaches a gentle boil, cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and cook 12 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and leave the chicken covered in the hot water for 10 minutes more.
- Lift out the thickest breast and check with an instant-read thermometer.
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Ready when: Thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part and the juices run clear. If it reads lower, cover and simmer on low 3 to 5 more minutes.
Tip: Do not let the water boil hard. Vigorous boiling toughens the chicken.
4
Cool and shred chicken
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it cool for about 20 minutes, until just warm to the touch.
- Shred it with two forks, or cut it into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes.
- Discard the poaching liquid or save it as light broth.
- You should have about 3 cups (450 g) of chicken.
- Put it in a large mixing bowl.
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Ready when: Chicken is no longer steaming and feels barely warm.
Tip: Mixing warm chicken with the dressing makes it greasy and thin. Let it cool first.
5
Whisk the dressing
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, Dijon, honey, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper until completely smooth.
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Ready when: Dressing is smooth, creamy and uniformly pale with no streaks of mustard.
6
Prep the crunchy mix-ins
- Cube the apple into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces and toss immediately with the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Thinly slice the celery and scallions.
- Roughly chop the cooled walnuts into pieces about the size of a pea or a little larger.
- Chop the parsley if using.
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Ready when: Apple pieces are evenly sized and bright, not browned.
Tip: Keep the walnuts separate until the end if you like them extra crunchy.
7
Combine the salad
- Add the apple, celery, scallions, cranberries and parsley (if using) to the bowl of chicken.
- Pour in the dressing and fold gently with a rubber spatula until everything is evenly coated.
- Fold in about two-thirds of the walnuts, reserving the rest for the top.
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Ready when: All pieces look glossy and lightly coated, with no pools of dressing at the bottom of the bowl.
Tip: Fold rather than stir hard so the chicken stays in tender pieces.
8
Chill and season
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the flavors meld.
- Taste, then adjust with a pinch more salt, pepper or a squeeze of lemon.
- Top with the reserved walnuts just before serving.
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Ready when: Salad is cold and tastes bright, balanced and lightly tangy. If it seems dry after chilling, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons more yogurt.
Tip: Chilled food tastes less salty, so always do the final seasoning after chilling.

Good to know

Tips

Cut the chicken against the grain or shred it by hand for the most tender texture.
Leave the apple peel on for color and a little extra crunch.
To serve: pile into toasted sourdough or whole-wheat bread, butter lettuce cups, a croissant, or over mixed greens.
If you prefer a lighter salad, use all Greek yogurt in place of the mayonnaise (1 cup / 240 g total), but add an extra pinch of salt.

Make ahead

The chicken can be poached, shredded and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead. The finished salad (without the final walnut topping) can be made up to 1 day ahead; stir in the walnuts just before serving to keep them crunchy.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Do not leave out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F / 32°C). Not recommended for freezing, as the yogurt dressing separates and the apple and celery turn watery. Serve cold; give it a good stir before serving.

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken breasts → 3 cups (450 g) shredded rotisserie chicken. Skip the poaching steps. Remove the skin and use a mix of white and dark meat.
walnut halves → Pecans or toasted sliced almonds. Use the same amount and toast them the same way.
plain Greek yogurt → Additional mayonnaise or sour cream. Use mayonnaise 1:1 for a richer salad, or sour cream for a tangier one.
scallions → 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion. Rinse the onion in cold water for 30 seconds to soften its bite.