Chicken Salad. An American favorite that I am far too picky about. Too much mayo and it's ruined for me. The consistency truly has to be perfect - light and cool on hot summer day. I love the crunch that celery brings, paired with freshly shredded or chopped chicken and just the right dressing.
Here's what I whipped up the other night: Chopped chicken breast, diced celery, scallions, and cubes of ripe avocado. Toss these together. In a separate bowl I combine sour cream, Dijon mustard, cayenne pepper and a bit of salt until it was well blended. Then I dressed the chicken mixture and had a lovely new twist on the typical chicken salad.
The mayo-free aspect really made me happy. For some reason, I cannot stomach the texture of mayo. I much prefer sour cream and, in fact, believe it to be one of the top condiments of choice. I love the how it cools a dish instantly and is matched well with a seasoning such as cayenne pepper. The avocado added an extra creaminess that replaced the need for mayo entirely. And a good Dijon mustard is an outstanding way to up the flavor of any dish - I am always amazed at how little mustard is needed to turn a straightforward dish into something with flair.
And if you haven't tried this mustard yet, it's a must. It could quite possibly be the most delicious mustard ever.
