It’s actually better! Our English department’s annual picnic was last week, so I needed something to bring. I had some homemade mayonnaise (thanks to a recent viewing of Alton Brown’s Good Eats - recipe here), so I figured why not use it in one of my favorite summer salads?

The secret here is poaching the chicken in a savory liquid first. It keeps the chicken oh-so-moist and really imbues it with a delightful (but subtle) flavor. If you really need to, you can use any chicken, but the stuff from a can won’t be as delicious by a long shot!

This yields about 6 cups and is perfect for a light summer supper. The grapes add some sugar carbs to this recipe, but that sweet burst of flavor is essential, in my opinion. Plus, the pop of the grapes added to the the crunch of the celery and the moist chicken really makes this salad texturally interesting. And if food’s not interesting, why bother?

To poach the chicken, you’ll need:
5 chicken breasts
2 1/2 cups water (or chicken broth)
1/4 tsp. ground sage
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. seasoning blend (I like Mrs. Dash)
salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large pan.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until done. (Bonus: you can strain the broth and use it later in soups.)

Now, moving on to the main dish. You’ll need:

5 chicken breasts, poached, cooled, and cubed (about 3 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup onion, minced
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2/3 cup red grapes, halved
1 to 1 and 1/2 cups mayonnaise (homemade, if possible; otherwise, I like Kraft’s Mayo with Olive Oil)
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 hardboiled eggs, chopped
splash white vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Chopping eggs is easier with a handy egg-slicer:

Just slice the egg, rotate it 90 degrees, and slice again - voila!

Combine chicken, onion, celery, grapes, mayonnaise, parsley, and eggs in a large bowl; stir. Add vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Chill thoroughly.

You can serve this on a bed of lettuce with fruit, in bacon or tomato cups, but my favorite way is in a warm, soft pita bread. (Both Toufayan and Joseph’s have excellent low-carb varieties.) Steve likes his in a huge mound on his plate. But however you eat it, you’ll be thinking “Mmmm!”