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Chicken Salad with Pickled Onions
Instructions
I mix mayonnaise and ketchup in equal proportions for the sauce. This gives a pink, sweet-and-sour, cocktail-style sauce – a versatile dressing for layered salads.
I pull the boiled chicken into fibres by hand or with a fork – cutting it with a knife gives a less attractive look. I lay it as the first layer in a salad bowl or individual glasses and drizzle with part of the sauce.
I slice the red and the white onion into thin half-rings 2–3 mm thick and pickle them in my favourite way: in a mixture of apple cider vinegar (1 tbsp) with sugar (1 tsp) and water (50 ml) for 30 minutes, or in boiling water for 5 minutes with vinegar. Pickling removes the sharpness of the onion.
I drain the pickled onion in a sieve to remove excess liquid and lay it as the second layer on the chicken. I drizzle with part of the sauce.
I slice the chilled boiled eggs into thin rounds and arrange them neatly as the last layer. I drizzle with the remaining sauce.
I put the salad in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour so the layers soak through. The longer it sits, the tastier it is. The chicken salad with pickled onions is ready!
Tips
- 1
The longer the salad sits, the tastier it is. At least 1 hour, ideally 3–4 hours in the refrigerator.
- 2
You can use any boiled meat – chicken, turkey, beef or pork. Each meat will give its own character.
- 3
Add a layer of grated hard cheese between the layers for extra heartiness. A similar principle is used for the Mimosa salad.
- 4
Garnish with fresh herbs or cherry tomato halves before serving – this gives a restaurant look.
FAQ
How can I pickle onion quickly? +
The fastest way is to pour boiling water over the sliced onion for 5 minutes (this removes the sharpness), then drain and add a tablespoon of 9% vinegar with a teaspoon of sugar. The onion is ready in 10–15 minutes. An alternative is to pour a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water 1:1 plus sugar over the sliced onion and leave it for 30–40 minutes at room temperature. The thinner the onion is sliced, the faster it pickles. I do not recommend using it straight away – the sharp taste will spoil the salad.
What can replace mayonnaise in the sauce? +
Use plain Greek yoghurt (a lighter, more delicate option with a slight tang), soured cream 20–25% (the classic option with a pleasant tang), a mix of soured cream and mustard (more piquant), or homemade mayonnaise made with eggs and olive oil (a natural equivalent). Each substitute gives its own character: yoghurt is the lightest, soured cream is refreshing, and homemade mayonnaise is the most delicate. For a lean version, use plant-based "mayonnaise" made from soya or chickpeas.
How long does the finished salad keep? +
In the refrigerator, in a tightly closed container, up to 2 days. The next day the flavour becomes deeper, because the layers are fully soaked in sauce. A dressed salad is best eaten within 24 hours – on the third day the eggs can develop an unpleasant aftertaste and the onion can turn sour. If you plan to keep it longer than a day, dress only the portion you will eat at once. I strongly advise against freezing it – all the ingredients lose their structure after thawing.
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