Asparagus and Pea Chicken Salad

Tuesday, June 23, 2020

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We love a good classic chicken salad. Though serve us up something that's loaded with mayo and we might have second thoughts on our friendship. This recipe poaches the chicken which makes things easier. Add in blanched peas and asparagus and we already have a chicken salad your body will thank you. It's spring so we try and find fresh English peas, usually from Trader Joe's or Whole foods, though frozen peas will work just as good.

Enjoy as a sandwich, on top of some arugula or on some toasted local bread.

Ingredients

1 bunch tarragon

2 shallots

1 garlic clove

1 lb. chicken breast, boneless and skinless

Kosher salt

¾ cup plain Greek yogurt

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 cup fresh peas, removed from pods or frozen peas

1 bunch asparagus

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 lemon, zested

Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Quarter one shallot and dice the other. Set the diced shallot aside.

Remove the leaves from one sprig of the tarragon, finely chop and set aside.

In a large saucepan, add the quartered shallot, the remaining tarragon, smashed garlic clove and the chicken breasts.

Add enough water to the pan to cover the chicken by about 1". Add enough Kosher salt to make salt water, as if you were salting for pasta, about 3 tablespoons.

Bring the pan to boil, remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit until the chicken is cooked, about 20 - 25 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and allow to cool. Discard everything else in the pan.

Dice or shred the chicken and place in a large bowl for mixing.

In the meantime, remove the woody ends of the asparagus and chop the remaining into 1½"pieces.

Bring a large saucepan of salt water to boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water.

Working in batches add the peas and asparagus to the boiling water. Cook for 3 minutes. Remove from the boiling water and place in the ice water to cool.

Once each batch of peas and asparagus has cool, remove fom the ice water and add to the bowl with the chicken.

In a small bowl whisk the yogurt, olive oil, minced shallot and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the dressing the chicken, pea and asparagus mixture, one tablespoon at a time, as not to over dress. When you happy with the amounting of dressing as the minced tarragon and lemon zest.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.