400g chicken breast fillet,
3 medium carrots,
4 eggs,
250-300g gherkins,
1 small bunch fresh dill,
3 tbsp crème fraîche, 2
tbsp natural yogurt,
2 tbsp olive oil
, 1 tbsp medium-hot
mustard, 1 tsp gherkin
brine, 1/2 tsp salt,
a little black pepper
, a small pinch of sugar
(optional), 2 spring onions
For the chicken cooking water:
1/2 onion,
1 bay leaf,
a few peppercorns,
a little salt.
Preparation
I’ll start with the chicken because it needs to cool down completely afterwards.
It is not necessary to briefly rinse the chicken breast fillet under cold water; I simply pat it dry with kitchen paper.
Heat approximately one liter of water in a medium-sized pot.
Add half an onion, a bay leaf, some peppercorns and a little salt.
Once the water is gently boiling, add the chicken breast.
Then immediately reduce the temperature.
The water should not be bubbling wildly, but only simmering very gently.
This keeps the meat significantly juicier.
Depending on the thickness, the chicken breast takes approximately 15–20 minutes.
Then I take them out and let them cool completely on a plate.
Of course, there are other ways to prepare the chicken.
For example, if I have leftover roasted chicken breast from dinner, I simply use that. It even gives the salad a bit more of a roasted flavor.
Chicken cooked in the oven also works very well.
The only important thing is not to use a very strongly spiced marinade, because it can change the taste of the entire salad later.
While the meat is cooking, I prepare the carrots.
Wash the carrots thoroughly and cover them with water in a small pot.
I usually cook them with the peel on because it makes them a bit more aromatic.
Cook for approximately 15-20 minutes, depending on size.
The carrots should be soft, but by no means fall apart.
The best way is to pierce it once with a small knife.
If the knife goes in but the carrot still offers some resistance, it’s just right.
Then drain the water and let the carrots cool completely.
Only then peel.
The peel is usually very easy to remove after cooking.
Now hard-boil the eggs.
I put them in a small pot, cover them with water, and cook them for about nine to ten minutes after they come to a boil.
Then immediately rinse with cold water.
Once the eggs have cooled, peel them.
Now, in this recipe, I actually separate the egg yolks and egg whites.
This might sound like an unnecessary extra step, but it makes a difference when dressing.
Place the egg yolks in a small bowl.
The egg whites will later be chopped finely along with the other ingredients.
Mash the egg yolks finely with a fork.
Crème fraîche, natural yogurt, olive oil and mustard are added.
Mix everything together thoroughly.
Now add a teaspoon of cucumber water.
This gives the dressing a bit more freshness and makes it go even better with the gherkins.
Season with salt, black pepper and a tiny pinch of sugar.
The pinch of sugar shouldn’t be consciously noticeable at all later on. It simply rounds off the acidity of the cucumbers and mustard.
Now finely chop the dill.
Add approximately two-thirds of it directly to the dressing.
I’ll save the remaining dill for later and sprinkle it over the finished salad at the very end.
If the dressing seems very thick, you can add a small spoonful of yogurt or cucumber water.
However, it shouldn’t be too thin.
The salad should be creamy and not swimming in dressing.
Now we chop the remaining ingredients.
Cut the completely cooled chicken into small cubes.
I try to cut all the ingredients into roughly the same size pieces.
This not only looks better, but it actually makes a difference when eating. When chicken, cucumber, carrot, and egg all land on your fork at the same time, the salad simply tastes more harmonious.
Cut the carrots into small cubes as well.
Do the same with the gherkins.
If the cucumbers are very juicy, I press them a little dry with kitchen paper after cutting.
Otherwise, they will release a relatively large amount of liquid later, and the dressing will become unnecessarily thin.
Chop the cooked egg whites into small pieces as well.
If you want to use spring onions, cut two pieces into very fine rings.
Sometimes I put them in, and sometimes I don’t.
Spring onions give the salad a bit more flavor. Without them, it tastes milder and reminds me more of the classic version.
Now put the chicken, carrots, cucumbers, egg whites and possibly spring onions into a large salad bowl.
Pour the prepared dressing over it.
Carefully mix everything together.
I prefer to do it with two large spoons, lifting the ingredients from the bottom to the top.
This helps the carrots and eggs keep their shape nicely.
You absolutely have to try it now.
Pickles and mustard can vary in saltiness and acidity. Therefore, I would never season a salad solely according to the quantity instructions.
Perhaps he needs a little more pepper.
Maybe a little salt.
Sometimes I add half a teaspoon of pickle juice if I feel it needs more acidity.
If the taste is right, cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 30–60 minutes.
It tastes good right after mixing, but after a while the dressing rests, it blends much better with the other ingredients.
Stir gently once more before serving and sprinkle with the remaining fresh dill.
Why I prefer this dressing to mayonnaise
I have absolutely nothing against mayonnaise. It’s simply essential for some salads.
But especially with chicken, eggs and cooked carrots, a large amount of mayonnaise can quickly overpower everything.
You can almost only taste the sauce.
With this dressing, the individual ingredients remain much more recognizable.
The egg yolks still make it nice and creamy.
Crème fraîche adds a slight acidity, while yogurt makes the whole thing a bit fresher.
The mustard adds flavor without making the salad spicy.
And the olive oil makes the dressing a little smoother.
However, I wouldn’t use a very bitter or extremely strong olive oil. A mild oil would be more suitable.
Alternatively, neutral rapeseed oil also works.
The most important thing is to really mash the egg yolks very finely.
Then they blend together with the other ingredients almost like a small cream.
The result is a dressing that is surprisingly similar to a classic creamy salad, even though no mayonnaise is used.
A few simple variations
If I want to make the salad a little more filling, I add two small boiled potatoes.
Let the potatoes cool completely and dice them into the same small cubes as the carrots.
Then the salad is somewhat reminiscent of a lighter potato salad with chicken.
Green peas also go well in it.
Approximately 100g is perfectly sufficient.
When using frozen peas, I cook them briefly, rinse them with cold water, and then drain them very well.
Another option is apple.
Half a tart apple, diced very finely, gives the salad an interesting fresh note.
This sounds a bit unusual at first, but it goes surprisingly well with cucumber, chicken and mustard dressing.
For those who prefer a bit more crunch, some roasted sunflower seeds can be sprinkled on top.
I would add them just before serving to ensure they stay crispy.
Chives are also very tasty instead of dill.
For me, dill somehow belongs in this salad.
It is precisely in combination with the pickles that this typical flavor, which I remember from earlier times, is created.
You can also vary the chicken.
Turkey breast works just as well.
Or you can use leftover meat from a roast chicken.
Then I would remove the skin and only cut the meat into small pieces.
The fried chicken makes the flavor a bit stronger.
Preparation, storage and serving
The salad can be prepared very well in advance.
I often make it in the morning if we want to eat it in the evening.
Then it can steep in the refrigerator for several hours.
However, I wouldn’t mix it completely much more than a day in advance.
Over time, liquid can seep out of the cucumbers, making the dressing thinner.
If I really want to prepare early, I simply cook chicken, carrots and eggs the day before.
Everything goes into the refrigerator separately.
The next day, all I have to do is chop the vegetables and mix the dressing.
The finished salad will keep for about two days in the refrigerator if well covered.
Since it contains cooked chicken, eggs and dairy products, it should not be left warm on the table for hours.
Especially in summer, I prefer to put out only a smaller portion and get more from the refrigerator later if needed.
It can be served in many different ways.
With a slice of dark farmhouse bread, it’s already a complete dinner for me.
Fresh baguette also goes very well.
It can be served as a side dish with grilled meat or meatballs.
It also looks good at a cold buffet.
I then like to pour it into a large glass bowl and sprinkle some dill and a few small cucumber cubes on top.
This way you can immediately see roughly what’s inside.
For a lighter meal, a large portion of this along with some tomatoes or a green salad is enough for me.
Whether this salad is truly “long forgotten”, I obviously don’t know.
But he reminds me of those uncomplicated recipes that used to be made often and were eventually displaced by new trends.
Sometimes, exotic ingredients aren’t even necessary.
A piece of chicken, a few eggs, cooked carrots and gherkins can make something really good together.
And it’s precisely the dressing that makes the difference for me.
It is creamy enough so that the salad doesn’t seem dry, but at the same time significantly lighter and fresher than a heavy mayonnaise sauce.
If you cut everything into roughly the same size and give the finished salad a little time in the refrigerator, the flavors blend together wonderfully.
The bowl usually doesn’t stay on the table for very long at our house.
And these are exactly the kinds of recipes I like best: simple, affordable, without any fuss – and yet someone still asks for a second helping at the end.
Bon appetit!
