Chicken Olivier Salad with Grilled Chicken Fillet

When we make Olivier salad with chicken at home, we try to make the ingredients different from similar homemade dishes. Of course, the appetizer includes boiled vegetables, potatoes and carrots. You can consider them the base of the salad. For this version we don’t bake the vegetables, because baked ones turn out softer and slightly watery. Combined with the “dry” grilled chicken fillet, it makes an excellent dish. Also, for variety, most of the ingredients are cut into medium-sized slices rather than cubes.

To prepare, boil the eggs and vegetables. Hard-boiled eggs usually take 8-10 mins, then cool them under running water and peel. The potatoes and carrots can be boiled together until done, then cooled. Meanwhile, prepare the chicken fillet. We try to put plenty of chicken in the salad. Remove the skin, fat and bones from the fillet. Pound the meat lightly so that its thickness is roughly even all over. Season with salt and pepper and leave for 10-15 mins. Then fry in a grill pan until done.

You will need a large bowl to mix the salad. Although many people believe that Olivier salad with chicken turns out twice as tasty in a big basin. Drain the liquid from the cans of corn and green peas and tip them into the bowl. Cut the boiled, peeled eggs in half and take out the yolks. We don’t add them and use them only to garnish the finished dish. Chop the whites coarsely. Peel the sweet white onion, which is mostly used for salads, and cut it into thin strips. The pickled gherkins can be diced as for a regular salad.

Peel the cooled carrots and potatoes and cut them into slices, about twice the size of the vegetables for vinaigrette or a similar salad. If you like, cut the vegetables even larger, up to 1.5-2 cm across. The fresh cucumber can be peeled or left as it is. Like the potatoes, cut the cucumber into slices.

Cut the cooled chicken fillet into strips. The size is up to you, but for all the ingredients in the salad to go well together, it is best to cut it roughly like the vegetables. If you cut across the fibers, the chicken will fall apart when mixed. It is better to cut at a sharp angle to the fibers. Add everything to the bowl.

Season the salad with salt and pepper. It tastes great when you use more pepper than usual, and freshly ground black pepper is the best choice, since it is very aromatic. Finely chop the green onion and a little parsley without the stems. The greens make the salad a bit colorful and pleasing to the eye. Mix all the ingredients.

The traditional dressing for Olivier is Provençal mayonnaise. Surprisingly, lately you can buy it in decent quality with a pleasant taste. But if you want, it is very easy to make yourself. You will need a mixer and whisk attachments. Beat a few egg yolks and add olive oil gradually in small portions. When the mixture thickens, add a little vinegar. Any other additions and techniques are optional.

Right before serving, dress the chicken Olivier salad with the prepared mayonnaise and mix. This salad is an appetizer and is best served in small salad bowls or ramekins. Then again, nobody has canceled a basin of salad on the table. If you like, put 1-2 lettuce leaves on the bottom of the bowl and place the salad on them. You can also use a large pastry ring to shape a portion of the salad before serving.

You can garnish the salad with a quarter of a hard-boiled egg, a sprig of greens, or grated egg yolk. I recommend adding a bit more pepper, which tastes good. By the way, the amount of mayonnaise per serving is entirely up to you. Some like the mayonnaise to “float”, others prefer an almost “dry” Olivier. Serve the appetizer with fresh bread. One more tip: don’t chill it. The tastiest salad is made from freshly prepared ingredients at room temperature, where they keep their delicate aroma and flavor.