You may have gathered from my six-minute egg rant, that I am not a mayonnaise person. I don’t mind a thin layer on a sandwich, but would so prefer a vinaigrette or even olive oil alone, and, let’s be honest – most sandwiches that involve mayonnaise are using FAR more than a thin layer. That said, it should come as no surprise that I tend to steer clear of the classic deli salads – tuna, egg (I can’t!) and chicken. But when some leftover rotisserie chicken was looking sad, and I was really over having lettuce for lunch, I decided to give chicken salad a whirl, and I have to say, I was into it. This version is a little light on the mayo, and combines mustard, lemon and parsley to brighten things up a bit. Game changer! And a new regular on my lunch rotation.
Makes 5-6 mini sandwiches, and I can easily eat 2!
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts – I love to use rotisserie chicken for this!
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
- ½ shallot, minced
- 2 heaping tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- juice and zest of half a lemon
- splash of water
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- salt & fresh black pepper
Method
In a large bowl, use two forks to pull the chicken breasts apart into bite-sized pieces. Add all other ingredients and toss to combine. A word on mustard and mayonnaise here… I firmly believe that these are two ingredients where quality really counts. I use Hellmann’s mayonnaise and Maille dijon mustard. As for the water, it’s just a splash to loosen the salad up a bit so it’s easier to spread. This is of course optional.
Serving possibilities are endless! Spread it on toast with avocado, or on crackers alone. You could make lettuce wraps for a low carb option. Here, you’ll see petite sandwiches, using mini sour dough rolls. Halve the rolls and scoop them a bit (less sandwich slippage!) Then, brush them with olive oil, salt & pepper and toast in a 350°F oven for about five minutes. When golden brown, remove from the oven and assemble with a scoop of chicken salad, a slice of tomato and some butter lettuce.
