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Apricot-Basil Chicken Salad

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on June 8, 2015

Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Apricot-Basil Chicken Salad

Ingredients

¾ cup mayonnaise ½ cup dried apricots, chopped fine¼ cup chopped fresh basil 2 tablespoons minced shallot 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard Salt and pepper 1 (2 ½-pound) rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded, meat shredded into bite-size pieces (3 cups)2 heads Bibb lettuce (1 pound), leaves torn into bite-size piecesExtra-virgin olive oil

Before You Begin

If you can’t find Bibb lettuce, substitute red or green leaf lettuce.

Instructions

  1. Combine mayonnaise, apricots, basil, shallot, lemon juice, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Stir in chicken until fully combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Evenly distribute lettuce among 4 plates. Drizzle lettuce with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place heaping 1/2 cup chicken salad on each plate of lettuce. Serve.
Apricot-Basil Chicken Salad

Apricot-Basil Chicken Salad

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

¾ cup mayonnaise
½ cup dried apricots, chopped fine
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons minced shallot
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
1 (2 ½-pound) rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded, meat shredded into bite-size pieces (3 cups)
2 heads Bibb lettuce (1 pound), leaves torn into bite-size pieces
Extra-virgin olive oil

Ingredients

¾ cup mayonnaise
½ cup dried apricots, chopped fine
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons minced shallot
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
1 (2 ½-pound) rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded, meat shredded into bite-size pieces (3 cups)
2 heads Bibb lettuce (1 pound), leaves torn into bite-size pieces
Extra-virgin olive oil

Ingredients

¾ cup mayonnaise
½ cup dried apricots, chopped fine
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons minced shallot
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
1 (2 ½-pound) rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded, meat shredded into bite-size pieces (3 cups)
2 heads Bibb lettuce (1 pound), leaves torn into bite-size pieces
Extra-virgin olive oil

Why This Recipe Works

For a fresh take on chicken salad, we added apricots and basil. Lemon juice and Dijon mustard provide brightness and complexity.

Before You Begin

If you can’t find Bibb lettuce, substitute red or green leaf lettuce.

Instructions

  1. Combine mayonnaise, apricots, basil, shallot, lemon juice, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Stir in chicken until fully combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Evenly distribute lettuce among 4 plates. Drizzle lettuce with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place heaping 1/2 cup chicken salad on each plate of lettuce. Serve.

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