Champagne

Chicken Salad with Cornichons and Radishes

by:
October  4, 2022
5
3 Ratings
Chicken Salad with Cornichons and Radishes
Photo by Karen Mordechai
  • Serves four
Author Notes

This my favorite, favorite chicken salad. I love the crunch of the cornichons and radishes and how the mayonnaise smooths out their flavors a bit. {That being said, I'm kind of a pickle/cornichon/gerkhin fanatic. I could eat those suckers on their own all day long.} Buying a roasted chicken just makes the recipe easier for me, and I like being able to have both white and dark meat in the chicken salad. {It also gives me an excuse to make chicken stock.} Of course, you can use whatever method you like to cook the chicken and whatever parts of the chicken you prefer. Again, just makes life a little easier. —theicp

Test Kitchen Notes

This isn't the chicken salad that you're used to tasting at parties, with the usual ingredients and a container of mayonnaise. Here, the radishes and cornichons add an inviting crunch. The tartness of the cornichons lingers nicely, and is met with the champagne vinegar and mayonnaise mixture, which brings all the flavors alive. The recipe, brightened by fresh chives and tarragon, inspires me to host a wine & cheese party, with local cheeses, fruit, and warm flatbread alongside this salad. —Julianna Bialek

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2-3 cups pulled roasted chicken
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup radishes, julienned
  • 1/2 cup cornichons, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Champagne or white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup Good {translation: full fat} mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped chives
  • A little fresh taragon (chopped) to garnish
  • 1 Large sheet Lavash flatbread {optional}
  • Olive oil {optional}
  • Kosher salt & pepper
Directions
  1. In a small sauce pan, bring about 3 cups of water to a boil. Gently roll in the eggs with a spoon and let boil for 15 minutes. Once the timer goes off, plunge the eggs into an ice water bath. Set aside.
  2. In a mixing bowl, toss the pulled chicken breast, radishes, and cornichons. In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise and champagne vinegar together. Add the mixture to the larger bowl and toss the ingredients together so that everything is evenly coated.
  3. Once the eggs have cooled, remove the shells and chop. Gently fold them into the chicken salad. Season with salt and pepper to taste and a little finely chopped fresh taragon to taste.
  4. If not serving with toast or sliced bread, preheat the oven to about 375 degrees. Place the sheet of Lavash on a baking sheet, and lightly brush each side with olive oil and a sprinkling of kosher salt. Bake on each side for four minutes.
  5. Once the Lavash is golden brown, cut it into squares and serve with the chicken salad.
Tags:
Contest Entries

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Melissa
    Melissa
  • Laura Mann
    Laura Mann
  • Mollyh
    Mollyh
  • theicp
    theicp
  • Julianna Bialek
    Julianna Bialek

Popular on Food52

13 Reviews

Bethany
Bethany October 20, 2024
This was an outstanding recipe, I made it with smoked chicken and it will definitely be in a regular round up for our home. Tarragon was essential. If you don't have gherkins a bit of dijon will help give it that sharper kick. But gherkins are great. Thank you for putting this up!
 
brushjl
brushjl May 8, 2023
Fantastic chicken salad. I used polish gherkins and my own roast chicken. Duke's mayonnaise was a winner.
 
Melissa
Melissa May 2, 2015
Definately my new go-to recipe for chicken salad. Crunchy, creamy, sweet, vinegary. It has the whole package. Thanks!
 
Laura M.
Laura M. April 15, 2015
Mad this tonight--totally yummy. I had a serving and hubby finished the rest! Me thinks it's a keeper. Thank you.
 
Mollyh
Mollyh July 27, 2014
This is a great recipe. All of the flavors really work together.
 
kitchenkiddo
kitchenkiddo May 15, 2013
Made this tonight and substituted homemade pickled green beans for cornichons and cilantro for the chives and tarragon-delicious and made a great light dinner over a bed of greens.
 
Kimberly C.
Kimberly C. August 9, 2012
I made this for my husband who devours radishes and sour pickles on a regular basis. He really liked it, I actually loved it, which surprised me because I prefer sweet pickles and rarely eat radishes. This is a lovely and flavorful chicken salad! I prepared it according to the recipe with 3 full cups of pulled rotisserie chicken (omitting the eggs which we eat constantly already) using fresh chives and tarragon from my garden. This recipe is a keeper, really perfect. Thanks so much. :)
 
btglenn
btglenn August 5, 2012
This use of a version of a classic Remoulade sauce is an interesting variation on the classic chicken salad. James Beard/s version for a Remoulade uses dill pickles, finely chopped onion, finely chopped capers, a dash of Dijon mustard, and a dash of either lemon juice or or tarragon vinegar. His recommendation: "Let the sauce stand an hour or so before serving, and it will gain a great deal in quality as the flavors have time to merge and mellow." He also says that his recipe is open to personal interpretation. So, Foodies, vary your chicken salad Remoulade as you will for interesting and delicious combination personalized to your taste and your family's
 
theicp
theicp July 29, 2012
JuliannaMarie makes a good point - completely forgot to add when you mix in the chives! I do it in the second step.
 
Julianna B.
Julianna B. July 24, 2012
I don't see when you add the chives in the recipe. You mention adding the tarragon to taste and I just wondered when you add the 1/4 c of chives. Thank you! Excited to taste this...well I have been tasting while preparing it, but looking forward to the finished dish.
 
theicp
theicp July 29, 2012
Major oops. I totally forgot to add that step, didn't I? I fold in the chives so that they're fully incorporated in step 2 - and then I sprinkle with tarragon at the very end.
 
theicp
theicp July 17, 2012
Sometimes I add softened butter to this - I'm embarrassed to admit it but it's soooo good!
 
testkitchenette
testkitchenette September 29, 2010
Delicious and I like your restrained use of mayonnaise!