Basil-Parmesan Chicken Salad Recipe by Mangia
Basil-Parmesan Chicken Salad
Nancy, who has been chef at Mangia as it has grown over the years, does the ordering on a daily basis. It is nothing for her to order 300 pounds of chicken à per day. To say that chicken is popular is an understatement. This salad, in particular, is a hit at lunchtime.
Ingredients
- 3 quarts water
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley tied with kitchen twine
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 chicken breast halves on the bone, with skin, 4 ½ pounds total weight
FOR THE DRESSING
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 cups packed basil leaves
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmigiano- Reggiano
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large heavy pot, bring the water to a boil.
- Peel, trim, and quarter the onion. Peel, trim, and smash the garlic.
- Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, parsley, and salt to the boiling water and boil for about 10 minutes.
- Carefully slide the chicken breasts into the pot and return the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and poach the chicken for about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the cover, and let the chicken cool in the liquid.
- When cool enough to handle, remove the chicken from the broth, skin and bone it, and shred into bite-sized pieces. Put in a large bowl. (Be sure to strain and reserve the broth for making soups or sauces.)
- Make the dressing: Peel, trim, and chop the garlic as fine as possible. Rinse the basil leaves, pat them dry, and chop very fine.
- In a bowl, combine the garlic and basil with the remaining dressing ingredients. If you would like a smoother sauce, blend all the ingredients in a blender or food processor until saucelike.
- Spoon the dressing over the chicken, toss well to combine, and transfer to a serving platter. Serve within 1 hour of finishing.
