Bloomin' Chicken Salad a la Potpourri
Ingredients
- 2 bone-in chicken breasts
- 1 small onion, cut up into chunks
- Stems from a bunch of parsley (optional)
- Leafy top of a bunch of celery, chopped coarsely
- 1 tsp. black (or three-color) peppercorns
- 8 oz. (by weight) slivered almonds
- ~
- Poppyseed dressing:
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp. Colman's dry mustard
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. granulated onion or onion powder
- 1 Tbs. poppyseeds
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3 Tbs. cider vinegar
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbs. chicken base (or stock--see instructions)
- 2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
- 2 heads Boston, bibb, or butter lettuce
- Seasonal fresh fruits: strawberries, blueberries, melons, mango, pears, apricots, satsuma sections. . . whatever is available that sounds delicious
Instructions
- 1
Put the chicken, onion, parsley stems, celery tops, and peppercorns into a saucepan with a quart of water. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 45 minutes.
- 2
Remove the chicken. Debone it and put the bones into the saucepan. Return to a low boil, this time uncovered.
- 3
Chop the chicken into one-inch dice and refrigerate.
- 4
Toast the almonds in a pan in a toasted oven or a broiler at 400 degrees. When you see the first sign of browning, remove the almonds from the heat and set aside to cool.
- 5
Make the poppyseed dressing by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and whisking or blending in a food processor or blender.
- 6
In a bowl, blend the mayonnaise with the chicken base, or with 3 Tbs. of the chicken stock (if still hot, whisk in a little at a time). Add the chopped chicken meat and the sliced celery. Toss until well coated. Refrigerate.
- 7
Tear the leaves of lettuce into large pieces. Toss with the poppyseed dressing (use your judgment as to the amount) and divide into serving plates. Top with the chicken-celery mixture, then with the fruits, then with the almonds. Serve immediately.