For all you non-French speakers out there (including me – isn’t Google translate awesome?), that’s chicken salad with herbs. And because this chicken salad is made in what I consider a French style, I think it sounds so much nicer in French.
The great thing about chicken salad is that it’s a wonderful way to use up leftover chicken; oh sure, you can cook some chicken expressly for this purpose, but if you’re like me and enjoy roasting a whole bird even if it’s only two for dinner, there are going to be some leftovers. Significant Eater and I enjoy eating the leg, thighs and wings right off of the roasted bird, since they’re so much tastier than the breast – but in a chicken salad the flavor of the white meat gets a nice boost, so it works out perfectly.
The “French” part comes in because instead of the usual American deli-style chicken salad that’s loaded with mayonnaise, this one is dressed with the ingredients for a vinaigrette, along with a good handful of chopped herbs including that most French of all herbs, tarragon. 
I think that shredding the chicken by hand, rather than cutting it up into cubes, makes for a more home-style salad, both visually and texturally. In this case, picking the meat off the carcass actually results in shredded chicken, so that’s another reason to roast a whole bird…just wash your hands really well before you start.
Les ingredients…
Toss everything together along with salt and pepper to taste. Keep tasting and adjusting with lemon juice/vinegar and olive oil until it’s to your liking. This will make a great sandwich; I think it’s also perfect served on a bed of lettuce with some sliced tomatoes and avocado…
Salade de Poulet aux Herbes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2-3 servings 1x
Description
This French-inspired chicken salad is made with shredded leftover roasted chicken and a tarragon-flavored lemony vinaigrette, perfect for sandwiches or as a light meal on a bed of lettuce.
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- 2 spring onions, sliced thinly
- 1 stalk celery, cut into small dice
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped celery leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, sliced spring onions, diced celery, chopped parsley, chopped celery leaves, and chopped tarragon.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar to create a vinaigrette.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the chicken mixture and toss gently to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust the seasoning with additional lemon juice or olive oil if needed.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld. Serve on a bed of lettuce with sliced tomatoes and avocado, or use as a filling for sandwiches.
Notes
For best results, use leftover roasted chicken for a richer flavor. Shredding the chicken by hand provides a better texture than cubing. Adjust the vinaigrette to your taste by adding more lemon juice or olive oil. This salad can be served as a sandwich filling or on a bed of lettuce with sliced tomatoes and avocado. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 320
- Fat: 24
- Carbohydrates: 5
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 75
Those avocado slices nestled in the background are making me want to eat this for lunch immediately. I’ll accept deliveries.