Name: Tarragon Chicken Salad on Croissants recipe
Ingredients: 2 cups Cooked Chicken Breast, Shredded or Diced: The star of the show! You can use leftover roasted chicken, poached chicken, or rotisserie chicken. Ensure the chicken is cooked through and cooled before shredding or dicing. Using high-quality chicken will improve the overall taste.; ½ cup Mayonnaise: Provides the creamy base for the salad. Full-fat mayonnaise offers the richest flavor and texture, but you can use light mayonnaise to reduce calories if desired. Consider using homemade mayonnaise for an even more luxurious touch.; ¼ cup Celery, Finely Diced: Adds a refreshing crunch and subtle flavor. Finely dicing the celery ensures it integrates well into the salad without being too overpowering.; ¼ cup Red Onion, Finely Diced: Offers a mild sharpness and a beautiful color contrast. Red onion is less pungent than yellow onion and provides a more delicate flavor. Soaking diced red onion in cold water for 10 minutes can further mellow its sharpness.; ¼ cup Fresh Tarragon, Chopped: The key ingredient that defines this salad! Fresh tarragon provides a unique anise-like flavor that is both herbaceous and slightly sweet. Dried tarragon is not a suitable substitute for fresh in this recipe.; 2 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice: Brightens the flavors and adds a touch of acidity to balance the richness of the mayonnaise. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is always preferred for its brighter, cleaner taste.; 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard: Adds a subtle tang and depth of flavor. Dijon mustard’s sharpness complements the creamy mayonnaise and herbaceous tarragon.; Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste: Essential for seasoning and enhancing all the flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed to ensure the salad is perfectly balanced. Freshly ground black pepper offers a more robust and aromatic flavor than pre-ground pepper.; 4 Large Croissants, Freshly Baked: The perfect vessel for the creamy chicken salad! Freshly baked croissants provide the ideal flaky, buttery texture and flavor. Look for high-quality croissants from a bakery or bake them at home for the ultimate experience.; Optional Garnishes: Fresh Tarragon Sprigs: For visual appeal and an extra hint of tarragon aroma.; Lettuce Leaves (Butter Lettuce or Bibb Lettuce): Adds a layer of freshness and prevents the salad from making the croissant soggy.; Sliced Tomatoes: Provides a juicy and slightly acidic counterpoint to the rich chicken salad.; Avocado Slices: Adds creaminess and healthy fats, complementing the richness of the salad.

Ingredients

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For the Tarragon Chicken Salad:

2 cups Cooked Chicken Breast, Shredded or Diced: The star of the show! You can use leftover roasted chicken, poached chicken, or rotisserie chicken. Ensure the chicken is cooked through and cooled before shredding or dicing. Using high-quality chicken will improve the overall taste.

½ cup Mayonnaise: Provides the creamy base for the salad. Full-fat mayonnaise offers the richest flavor and texture, but you can use light mayonnaise to reduce calories if desired. Consider using homemade mayonnaise for an even more luxurious touch.

¼ cup Celery, Finely Diced: Adds a refreshing crunch and subtle flavor. Finely dicing the celery ensures it integrates well into the salad without being too overpowering.

¼ cup Red Onion, Finely Diced: Offers a mild sharpness and a beautiful color contrast. Red onion is less pungent than yellow onion and provides a more delicate flavor. Soaking diced red onion in cold water for 10 minutes can further mellow its sharpness.

¼ cup Fresh Tarragon, Chopped: The key ingredient that defines this salad! Fresh tarragon provides a unique anise-like flavor that is both herbaceous and slightly sweet. Dried tarragon is not a suitable substitute for fresh in this recipe.

2 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice: Brightens the flavors and adds a touch of acidity to balance the richness of the mayonnaise. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is always preferred for its brighter, cleaner taste.

1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard: Adds a subtle tang and depth of flavor. Dijon mustard’s sharpness complements the creamy mayonnaise and herbaceous tarragon.

Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste: Essential for seasoning and enhancing all the flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed to ensure the salad is perfectly balanced. Freshly ground black pepper offers a more robust and aromatic flavor than pre-ground pepper.

For Serving on Croissants:

4 Large Croissants, Freshly Baked: The perfect vessel for the creamy chicken salad! Freshly baked croissants provide the ideal flaky, buttery texture and flavor. Look for high-quality croissants from a bakery or bake them at home for the ultimate experience.

Optional Garnishes:
- Fresh Tarragon Sprigs: For visual appeal and an extra hint of tarragon aroma.
- Lettuce Leaves (Butter Lettuce or Bibb Lettuce): Adds a layer of freshness and prevents the salad from making the croissant soggy.
- Sliced Tomatoes: Provides a juicy and slightly acidic counterpoint to the rich chicken salad.
- Avocado Slices: Adds creaminess and healthy fats, complementing the richness of the salad.

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Instructions

Making the Tarragon Chicken Salad:

Prepare the Chicken: If you are using whole cooked chicken breasts, shred or dice them into bite-sized pieces. Ensure the chicken is cooled to room temperature or slightly chilled before proceeding. This prevents the mayonnaise from becoming oily.

Combine Ingredients in a Bowl: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the shredded or diced cooked chicken, mayonnaise, finely diced celery, finely diced red onion, and chopped fresh tarragon.

Add Lemon Juice and Dijon Mustard: Pour in the fresh lemon juice and Dijon mustard. These ingredients add brightness and depth to the salad.

Season with Salt and Pepper: Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Start with about ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, and then taste and adjust seasoning to your preference. Remember that salt enhances all the other flavors.

Mix Gently: Gently stir all the ingredients together until they are well combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the chicken salad mushy. You want the ingredients to be incorporated but still maintain some texture.

Chill (Optional but Recommended): For the best flavor and texture, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the chicken salad for at least 30 minutes, or up to a few hours. Chilling allows the flavors to meld together and the salad to firm up slightly.

Assembling the Tarragon Chicken Salad on Croissants:

Prepare the Croissants: If desired, lightly toast the croissants to enhance their flakiness and warmth. Be careful not to over-toast, as they can become dry. You can toast them in a toaster oven, regular oven, or even a skillet.

Slice the Croissants: Carefully slice each croissant horizontally in half, like you would for a sandwich.

Add Optional Lettuce (if using): If using lettuce, place a leaf or two on the bottom half of each croissant. This creates a barrier between the salad and the croissant, preventing sogginess and adding freshness.

Spoon Chicken Salad: Spoon a generous amount of the Tarragon Chicken Salad onto the bottom half of each croissant, on top of the lettuce if you are using it.

Add Optional Garnishes (if using): If desired, add sliced tomatoes, avocado slices, or fresh tarragon sprigs as garnishes on top of the chicken salad.

Top with Croissant Top Halves: Place the top halves of the croissants over the chicken salad filling to complete the sandwiches.

Serve Immediately: Serve the Tarragon Chicken Salad on Croissants immediately for the best texture and flavor. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving Size: one normal portion
Calories: 600-750