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Salad with Smoked Chicken and Pineapples (+Cooking Video)
Instructions
Cut 300 g of smoked chicken into small cubes and transfer to a deep plate. In my case it is smoked chicken breast. Before cooking I remove the skin from the breast – it gives too pronounced a smoky flavour and too much fat.
Cut 340 g of pineapple into small cubes. Drain off the liquid from the can – it would make the salad watery.
Grate 100 g of hard cheese on a fine grater. A fine grater gives an "airy" texture that soaks up the mayonnaise better.
Grate the boiled chicken eggs on a vegetable grater. The eggs should be cold – warm ones "fall apart" and smear.
Grind 50 g of walnuts on a fine grater. You can dry the nuts in advance in a dry frying pan – this brings out their aroma more brightly.
Add a little mayonnaise to the chopped smoked chicken breast and mix. This "marinade" makes the meat juicier in the salad.
Place the chopped smoked chicken as the first layer in the pastry ring and tamp it down lightly. A dense bottom layer holds the whole structure together.
Lay the chopped canned pineapple on top of the chicken breast. On top of that – a net of mayonnaise. The net does not "weigh down" the pineapple and gives a light soaking.
The next layer is the grated boiled chicken eggs, covered with a net of mayonnaise.
Next, lay down a layer of grated cheese and apply a net of mayonnaise.
The final layer is grated walnuts. I put the salad in the refrigerator for 5–6 hours so that it soaks better.
Remove the pastry ring. The salad with smoked chicken and pineapples is ready. I serve it to the table.Enjoy your meal!
Tips
- 1
Always DRAIN the liquid from the canned pineapple – otherwise the salad will become watery and the layers will "float".
- 2
REMOVE THE SKIN from the smoked chicken – it concentrates an excess of smoky flavour and fat. Skinless meat gives a more balanced taste.
- 3
Lightly DRY the nuts in a dry frying pan for 2–3 minutes – their aroma will open up more brightly. Raw nuts give a "bland" taste.
- 4
Let the salad stand for AT LEAST 5 hours in the refrigerator – in less time the flavours will not merge and the salad will be "disjointed". The same principle works in other layered salads.
Video
FAQ
What can replace smoked chicken? +
Alternatives: boiled chicken breast plus 1 tsp of liquid smoke (an imitation of smoking), smoked turkey (a more "diet-friendly" substitute), smoked duck (brighter in flavour, more expensive), baked chicken with paprika (no smoking, but with character). Smoked chicken gives the signature smoky taste that contrasts with the sweetness of the pineapple. Without smoking, the salad loses its key accent. Boiled chicken is possible, but the result will be "bland" – add spices (turmeric, smoked paprika) to compensate.
Can I use fresh pineapple? +
You can, but the taste of the salad will change. Fresh pineapple is more sour and "grassy", while canned is sweet and mild. If you take fresh: choose a ripe one (fragrant, with leaves that pull out easily), peel it and cut into small cubes, then soak it in a sugar syrup of 1 tsp sugar plus 1 tbsp water for 10 minutes. This brings the taste closer to canned. Another option is to hold it for 1 minute in a frying pan with 1 tsp of honey. Note: raw pineapple contains bromelain – an enzyme that can "thin out" the mayonnaise.
How long does the finished salad keep? +
In the refrigerator in a closed container – 1–2 days. Not longer – the mayonnaise loses its freshness, the pineapple gives off juice, and the nuts go "soggy". On the second day the flavour is brighter – the layers have fully soaked through. At room temperature – a maximum of 2 hours. It must NOT be frozen – all the layers fall apart. If you are making it for a large feast, assemble it 5–6 hours before serving, no earlier.
What can replace walnuts? +
Alternatives: almonds (sweeter, more "dessert-like"), cashews (softer, "creamy"), hazelnuts (brighter in flavour, more "Russian"), seeds (ordinary sunflower seeds – budget-friendly, but they crunch). Walnuts are the classic for such salads, giving a slight bitterness that balances the sweetness of the pineapple. Without nuts the salad loses its final "touch", but it is still edible – just decorate it with herbs or grated cheese on top. Never use salted nuts (beer nuts) – they will unbalance the taste.
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