Try this Apple Tarragon Chicken Salad recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 6.83405 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.0916 g
- Fiber 1.28700003623962 g
- Protein 0.25555 g
- Saturated Fat 0.01514 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (53g)
- Sodium 38.4952864583334 mg
- Sugar 5.54704996376038 g
- Trans Fat 0.042495 g
- Calories 26 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees then line a half sheet pan with a silpat or nonstick sprayed foil.
- Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper then place on prepared sheet pan and spray or mist tops with extra virgin olive oil or nonstick spray.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through, then let cool. Once cool, chop into bite-sized pieces. Can be done a day ahead of time.
- To a large bowl add chopped chicken and remaining ingredients then stir to combine.
- Taste then add more lemon juice, salt, and/or pepper to tate then refrigerate until chilled.
- Serve between bread slices, in a wrap, or on a bed of lettuce.
The Mechanics of Poultry Textures
Pounding chicken breasts to an even thickness of half an inch guarantees uniform heat transfer during roasting at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, preventing the tapered ends from drying out before the thick center reaches 165 degrees. When meat is roasted rather than boiled, proteins coagulate tightly while retaining intramuscular moisture, yielding firm, resilient chunks that resist becoming mushy under the weight of binders. Over-processing the cooked meat destroys this structural integrity entirely, reducing distinct protein strands to a fine paste.
Botanical Dynamics of Fresh Tarragon
Fresh tarragon contributes a distinct anise-like pungency driven by estragole, an aromatic compound that degrades rapidly during industrial drying or prolonged heating. Swapping fresh chopped leaves for dried versions strips away the bright herbal top notes, leaving behind a flat, hay-like bitterness that fails to cut through the heavy lipids in mayonnaise. Folding the herb in at the final mixing stage protects its volatile oils from premature oxidation.
Moisture Management in Produce
Raw red apples introduce substantial internal water weight that can destabilize emulsions if introduced too far in advance of serving. Dicing the fruit immediately before assembly limits free liquid release, whereas salting the apples slightly and blotting them on paper towels extracts excess cellular moisture to preserve the crisp crunch required against the tender poultry. Storing the dressed mixture in an airtight container for up to twenty-four hours allows the flavors to meld without completely degrading the snap of the fruit.
