Living in Orlando we have access to so many grocery and specialty food stores you can find almost anything you need without having to go online. Sometimes it’s a mystery why we go through the trouble of making things from scratch when you can buy the same thing from the store already made for you which is just as delicious. Publix for example creates an array of pre-made food in their kitchens that are just divine. The spectrum is so broad from Chinese food, spinach and artichoke dip, cooked fish, sides, you name it they make it. One of my boyfriends favorite pre made foods Publix produces is their Tarragon Chicken Salad. I started to buy the small portions for him because he always likes to snack when he gets home from work while I prepare dinner.
Soon this obsession started to rub off on me as I found myself sneaking in one more small portion container that I would snack on throughout the day. Being the curious gal that I am I decided to look at the ingredients list, I was aware I would see things like mayonnaise which is typically not in my diet but all things good in moderation. However, I was not prepared to see an ingredient that I strive to stay away from with everything I put in my mouth. CORN SYRUP. Devastation, is the word I could use to describe this discovery. I was so dissappointed in myself seeing that I could easily make chicken salad, my biggest mistake was not reading the ingredients sooner but you live and you learn.
Now I won’t blame Publix for using these types of ingredients in their chicken salad because no where does the label say “healthy” or does it even imply that this is a healthy dish. Using the word salad tricked my brain into thinking this couldn’t be that bad for you and well….I was wrong, moral of the story always read the ingredients. So it was time, I needed to make my own chicken salad there’s no room for corn syrup in my belly and I came up with quite the delicious version!
Tarragon is starting to become one of my new favorite herbs, it’s somewhat licorice in flavor but has a freshness about it that you can’t get from any other herb. This herb pairs so well with dijon mustard it actually sparked another recipe that I wanted to try that will come in later posts (Dijon Tarragon Chicken Thighs YUM!). The crunch from the almonds and celery (which is my boyfriends favorite ingredient to add to chicken salad) really gives this a great dynamic of texture that chicken salad can sometimes lack as it is usually super creamy. Man I’m wishing I had this as a snack right now but as you know, once it’s in the fridge as fair game the boyfriend devours. Guess I’ll take that as a compliment.
Ingredients:
1 Rôtissoire Chicken (chicken pulled from bones)
1/3 cup Plain Greek Yogurt (can use non fat)
1/3 cup Mayonnaise (I like Hellmann’s the best for it’s somewhat sweet flavor and mostly natural ingredients)
1/2 tbs. Honey
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
1 tbs. Dried Tarragon (if using fresh 1/2 tbs.)
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1/4 cup Slivered Almonds
1/4 cup Celery (small diced)
Method:
- In a large bowl place the pulled chicken (I used both white and dark meat) add all of the ingredients down to the red pepper flakes and stir until combined.
- Taste salad for seasonings and adjust if needed, add the almonds and celery and fold until evenly distributed throughout the salad.
- Enjoy by itself, on a sandwich, over a bed of lettuce, the possibilities are endless.