An Equal Opportunity Chicken Salad

I'm usually not too particular about what I eat (as long as it's fresh!) but there is one thing that I really dislike to see in large (or even medium-sized) quantities in a dish: mayonnaise. Actually, I dislike all condiments in general.

Somehow, I find it really discomforting that I don't know how ketchup and mayonnaise are made. Frankly, I don't want to know- I think that vegetables alone are the perfect additions to a sandwich or burger and that anything else just adds superfluous flavor (well, I think I make an exception for guacamole or home-made hummus).

For this reason, I tried to avoid chicken, potato, and other mayonnaise-filled salads for a long time. I was pretty skeptical, and still am. Yet, when I came across a chicken salad recipe without mayonnaise, and instead with a nice light vinaigrette, I thought I might give it a chance. I'm glad I did.

This salad is really crisp and refreshing for a hot day. I like to eat a bit with some whole wheat toast before I trounce down my hill to face the real world.

Chicken Salad
Adapted from Gourmet

1 large chicken breast (already cooked, but if not then just poach it)
2 celery ribs, chopped into little half-moon pieces
a handful of grapes, washed, dried, and halved
1/4 cup walnuts (you can toast them, I didn't)
1 tbs. chopped shallot
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs vinegar (champagne, red wine, etc.)
salt and pepper to taste

Peel apart the chicken breast into small strips and place in a large bowl. Chop the shallots and drop the pieces in a smaller bowl with the vinegar and lemon juice (so that they macerate a bit). Add the grapes, chopped celery, and walnuts to the large bowl with the chicken. Mix the olive oil in with the vinegar and shallots and taste- you may need to add more oil if it's too acidic. Otherwise just toss the dressing in with the salad and toss again. Enjoy!