Brent Herrig © 2012

I never think to make my own chicken salad, which is super silly because a fresh chicken salad – absent of mayo (though I love it) and teeming with bits of crisp, fresh veggies – is a ridiculously versatile little dish.  And for my FoodBuzz Gluten Free Puff Pastry party, I knew I had to have something springlike and comforting.

For this one I loaded it up with lots of fun things I had on hand and a poppyseed dressing I adore, along with some tart goat milk yogurt.  The combination of flavors, colors and textures, popped in to the little puff pastries, was a huge hit.

Click here for the gluten-free puff pastry recipe.

Brent Herrig © 2012

Garden Chicken Salad

Serves 4 as a main, or 12 appetizer portions

Ingredients:

• 3 chicken breasts
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• kosher salt and pepper
• water, chicken stock and white wine (whatever your preference)
• 1/2 cup Brianna’s Poppyseed dressing
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt (I used goat milk yogurt)
• 3/4 cup cooked green peas (fresh or frozen)
• 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 2 Tbsp dried cranberries
• 1 Tbsp poppyseeds
• 1/2 recipe gluten-free puff pastry

Method:

Poach the chicken: place the 3 breasts in a medium stockpot.  Cover with water, stock or wine (or a combination of all three, whichever’s your preference).  Add rosemary, about 1/2 tsp kosher salt and a few healthy grinds of pepper.  Bring liquid to a simmer, then cover and remove from heat.  Let sit until the inside of the chicken comes to 160°, about 15 minutes.  Cool completely (or chill overnight), then cube or shred chicken.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients but sunflower seeds, cranberries and poppyseeds.  Mix well, cover, and let chill overnight if possible.  Just before serving, fold in seeds and berries. Sprinkle with poppyseeds.