Robin’s Blueberry Thyme Chicken Salad

From the kitchen of: Robin LaBrunerie

I love to make homemade chicken stock. It makes all soups and many other things better. I cook rice in it, steam vegetables with it. And one secret is I never skim off the fat. As every cook knows, fat = flavor. With the chicken left from cooking the stock I often make chicken salad. This is one of my favorite renditions for when the summer fruits start showing up at the grocery store.

Blueberry Thyme Chicken Salad

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients 

• Cooked meat from one roast chicken, picked, or 3-4 breasts, skin and bones removed. Cut or tear into bite sized pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with some olive oil to moisten and add flavor

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise, preferably Hellmann’s or homemade

• 1/3 cup sour cream

• 2 tablespoons heavy cream or half and half

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 1 teaspoon sugar, or more to taste

• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or 1 teaspoon preserved lemon or 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, to taste

• 3/4 cup toasted pecans

• 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

• 3/4 cup fresh raspberries or strawberries, optional

• Delicious alternative or additional fresh fruits for your chicken salad: nectarines, apricots, pineapple, grapes, apples, peaches, kiwi, mangos, bananas.
  

Instructions:

Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, cream, olive oil in large bowl until smooth. Add lemon, thyme, sugar, salt and pepper and mix. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Add chicken and toss gently. Add nuts, half the blueberries and blend.

Move to serving bowl or lettuce cups and top with additional blueberries and raspberries decoratively.

Delicious alternative or additional fresh fruits for your chicken salad: nectarines, apricots, pineapple, grapes, apples, peaches, kiwi, mangos, bananas.