1/4 cup REAL mayonnaise (like Hellmann's)
2 T pickling brine from a jar of pickled jalapenos or dill pickles
1 T minced shallots
1/4 t celery salt
2 cups Chicken or Turkey (275g by weight), torn into bit-sized pieces
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup walnut halves
1/4 cup dried cherries or cranberries
Salt & pepper to taste
Heat oven to 350F
In a mixing bowl large enough to toss the chicken salad, stir together the mayo, pickling brine, shallots, and celery salt. Let this sit while you tear and slice and toast and measure everything else.
Toast the walnut halves in the oven until toasty and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Coarsely chop.
Add the chicken (or turkey), celery, walnuts, and dried fruit to the bowl with the dressing. Toss, adding salt & pepper to taste. I like a little pepper and a lot of salt.
Pile onto toast to eat open-faced, or make a sandwich. Or serve it with crackers as an appetizer.
The Johnson Family Cookbook