Good Bite Says: A fresh take on chicken salad. Crunchy, savory and sweet, all attributes converge in this perfect chicken salad. Whip up a batch anytime for a cool summer dinner, or a casual picnic lunch. This easy dish is a winner for summer potlucks, or an enviable lunchbox delight. Plus, Deb shows us the benefits of brining chicken breast.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 lbs chicken breast
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 Tbsp champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 1 cup celery, diced into small bits
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped shallot
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh tarragon, or herb of your choice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Directions

Step 1
In large bowl, brine chicken in salt and water solution for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove chicken and discard brine. In large shallow pan, bring water to a simmer (you'll need enough water to submerge chicken). Place chicken in pan and cook 10 to 12 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and let cool on plate. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

Step 2
In large bowl, combine mayonnaise and vinegar until mayonnaise is thinned. Stir in walnuts, celery, cranberries, shallot, tarragon, salt and pepper. Add chicken, tossing gently until thoroughly coated.

Step 3
Place chicken salad on a bed of butter lettuce. Garnish with a sprig of fresh tarragon.

Notes

Variations are almost endless, but this is particularly good with leftover Thanksgiving turkey and chopped pecans.

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