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Capital Salad with Chicken – Classic Recipe
Instructions
Remove the skin from 2 boiled chicken drumsticks. Separate the meat from the bone and chop it into small pieces. Put the chopped meat into a deep bowl. Drumsticks give a richer flavour than breast.
Cut 2 boiled chicken eggs into small cubes. Add the chopped eggs to the bowl with the chicken meat. Cubes of the same size are the "secret" to the salad's appearance.
Cut 2 peeled boiled potatoes into small cubes. Add them to the rest of the ingredients in the bowl. Potatoes boiled in their skins keep all their nutritional value and do not fall apart.
Cut 2 salted cucumbers into small cubes and add them to the rest of the ingredients. Salted cucumbers – exactly "salted", not pickled in vinegar – are the "secret" to the proper Soviet flavour.
Add 100 g of canned green peas to the rest of the ingredients. Drain the peas from the brine before adding them – otherwise the salad will be watery.
Mix all the ingredients together. Do this gently with a wooden spoon – a metal one can "bruise" the delicate pieces.
Add mayonnaise to taste and mix everything well. By the classic recipe, the Capital Salad with Chicken is ready. It is better to add the mayonnaise "a little at a time", adding more if needed – a salad over-salted with mayonnaise is hard to "rescue".
Transfer to a salad bowl. Garnish with herbs and serve. You can shape it into a "mound" in the centre or lay it in an even layer – whichever you prefer.
Tips
- 1
Chicken drumsticks give a richer flavour than breast – do not replace them with breast if you want the classic taste.
- 2
Salted cucumbers (not pickled in vinegar!) are the "secret" to the proper Soviet flavour. Vinegar-pickled ones will add a sour note that is not the classic taste.
- 3
The cubes of all the ingredients should be the same size – the "secret" to the appearance and proper taste of Soviet salads. I use a similar principle in other classic salads.
- 4
Let the salad "rest" in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving – the ingredients will "make friends" and the flavour will become more balanced.
Video
FAQ
How is Capital Salad different from Olivier? +
The main difference: Capital Salad has NO carrots, while Olivier often does (in the modern Russian interpretation). The composition of the original Capital Salad is: chicken + potatoes + salted cucumbers + peas + eggs + mayonnaise. The classic Olivier originally included hazel grouse, veal tongue and caviar – but in Soviet times it was "simplified". Modern Olivier is often made with carrots and boiled sausage instead of meat. Capital Salad is a more "strict" version of the recipe, with chicken.
Can the chicken be replaced with another meat? +
The original recipe calls for chicken specifically. Alternatives: turkey (more tender, leaner), boiled beef (richer), boiled tongue (a premium option). I do not recommend pork – it is too fatty for a cold salad. Boiled sausage is the most "budget" option and gives an "Olivier" flavour. The main thing is to choose good-quality meat. If you use breast, boil it carefully and do not overcook it, otherwise the salad will turn out "dry".
How long does the finished salad keep? +
In the refrigerator – a maximum of 1–2 days in a closed container. With mayonnaise I do not recommend keeping it longer, as it spoils quickly in contact with the vegetables. It is better to make it "in one go" for today and tomorrow. If you plan to store it for longer, do not dress it with mayonnaise right away – keep the mixture without it and dress it before serving. There is no point in freezing it – the texture will be ruined after thawing. It is better to chop the vegetables ahead of time and assemble the salad right before serving.
What can replace the mayonnaise in the dressing? +
Alternatives: homemade mayonnaise (healthier, without preservatives), a mixture of sour cream and mustard 4:1 (lighter), unsweetened Greek yoghurt (a dietary option), a 1:1 mix of sour cream with mayonnaise (a compromise on richness). For a lean salad, make a dressing of vegetable oil + mustard + lemon juice. Each dressing gives its own character: the classic Capital Salad flavour comes specifically with mayonnaise. For a family table, homemade mayonnaise made from quail eggs with lemon.
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