Pot Luck, Hot Luck: This Thai Style Chicken Salad is Special!

Thai Style Chicken Salad

My significant other often asks me to prepare something on the spur of the moment, such as:  “I forgot to tell you I’ve got a pot luck tomorrow.  Think of something.”  With that she is out the door and the car pulls out of the driveway.  Questions hang in the air like dark puffs of exhaust.

How many people?  Breakfast, lunch, or dinner?  What are you supposed to bring?  Salad?  Main course?  Dessert?

“Ok, honey,” I say to the closed door.

You with me?  Had it happen to you?  In this case, I did you, me, and the unknown pot luckers a big favor.  Thai Style Chicken Salad.  Citrusy.  Redolent with fresh herbs.  Fresh chicken breasts sautéed in chicken broth and sherry.  Oh yeah!

Aside from dicing and slicing and poaching, there’s little to do.  Best part, on my first try an international crowd devoured it.

Ok, on with it…

Thai Style Chicken Salad

2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced crosswise into two filets

1 Cup chicken broth

¼ Cup Sherry

2 pats butter

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

Juice from 1 large lime

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon powdered corriander

Big handful of fresh mint:  Strip off the leaves and chop them finely.  Pitch the stems.

Big handful of  fresh basil:  Same prep as the mint

½ teaspoon sugar

1 shallot, thin sliced and chopped  (If you use an onion, make it a small red one and only use half an onion)

3 scallions, thinly sliced

¼ to 1/3 Cup Mayo to taste

In a large bowl, whisk together the lime juice, salt, chili powder, coriander, mint, basil and sugar.

Set aside.

Heat a large frying pan on medium.  Add the oil, melt the butter, add the chicken fillets and cook until just beginning to brown.  Quickly add the chicken broth and sherry.  Cover and allow to sauté until the chicken is very tender.

Remove from the pan and put the fillets on a cutting board.  Chop or shred the meat.  I did a little of both.  Add the chicken to the bowl of herb mixture.  Stir and allow the chicken mixture to cool completely.  NOTE: Adding the mayo to a hot dish will make the oil

separate. You don’t want that!

Prior to adding the mayo

When the chicken mixture is well cooled, stir in the mayo a spoonful at a time.  Have a delicate touch. The mayo is only a thin binder and you don’t want it to overpower the dish.  Too little is better than too much.

Taste the dish and add more herbs, spices and lime juice as necessary.  It should taste citrusy, with the fresh herbs leading the charge.

Yes, you can serve this the day of, but far better to prepare it the day before, cover with plastic wrap and allow the flavors to meld overnight.

The finished product

Now let me prepare you for the reaction of your guests.  Deadly silence at first, shortly followed by smiles and several bursting into song.

The only bad part is, your significant other is going to insist you make it again for the next party.  Oh, the trials of a cook!