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Tenderness Salad with Chicken, Prunes, and Walnuts
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients for the Tenderness Salad with Chicken, Prunes, and Walnuts. In advance, boil the chicken fillet and the eggs. Peel the boiled eggs. Rinse the cucumber and prunes and pat them dry with a paper towel.
Finely chop the boiled chicken fillet.
Pour boiling water over the prunes and leave them for 5–10 minutes.
Dice the fresh cucumber into small cubes.
Using a vegetable grater, grate the boiled eggs.
Using the same grater, but on the fine-hole side, grate the walnuts.
After 5–10 minutes, drain the water from the prunes. Rinse the prunes under cold water, pat them dry, and then cut them into small cubes.
Mix the chopped chicken fillet with 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise.
Using a 16 cm forming ring, start assembling the salad. For the first layer, spread the chopped chicken fillet mixed with mayonnaise evenly.
Next comes the prunes, coated with a thin layer of mayonnaise.
For the next layer, spread the cucumber and also coat it lightly with mayonnaise.
Then come the grated walnuts. Apply a thin mayonnaise mesh on top.
The final layer is the grated eggs. For better soaking, put the salad in the fridge for a few hours.
The Tenderness Salad with Chicken, Prunes, and Walnuts is ready. Lift off the forming ring, decorate the dish to taste, and serve.
Tips
- 1
Pouring boiling water over the prunes is the secret to a soft texture. Dry prunes are rubbery; after 5–10 minutes in boiling water they become soft and tender and are easy to cut.
- 2
A thin layer of mayonnaise is the secret to balance. Thick layers overpower the flavour, while a thin mesh keeps the ingredients from drowning in the sauce, so every layer is noticeable.
- 3
Letting the salad rest in the fridge is the secret to soaking. Served straight away, the layers are dry and separate; after 2–3 hours in the cold the flavours come together.
- 4
Placing the nuts above the cucumber is the secret to texture. If the nuts are underneath, they soak up the cucumber's moisture and lose their crunch; above the cucumber they stay dry and crisp. The same principle works in other layered chicken salads.
Video
FAQ
Which chicken fillet should I choose? +
The classic choice is fresh chicken breast fillet, which turns out tender after 20–25 minutes of boiling. As alternatives you can use boneless chicken thighs, which are juicier, or ready-cooked smoked or baked chicken if you want to save time. For the classic Tenderness salad, however, boiled breast fillet is best.
What can I use instead of prunes? +
Good alternatives are dried apricots, which give a brighter tang, dried cranberries, dried pitted cherries, soaked light raisins, or dried dates, which are sweeter. For the classic version, soft pitted prunes work best; avoid hard, old prunes that will not soften.
How long does the salad keep? +
Kept in the fridge in the ring under cling film, it stays good for 1–2 days. Any longer and the cucumber starts to release water, the mayonnaise separates, and the nuts go soft. I do not recommend freezing it, as the structure breaks down completely. The salad is at its best 2–3 hours after assembly, once it has rested in the cold, and on the second day the flavour is deeper. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours, since eggs with mayonnaise spoil quickly.
What goes well with Tenderness salad? +
It is a classic for the festive table. Serve it with a glass of sparkling wine, with a platter of hard cheeses, with fresh vegetables, with slices of rye bread, or with cold cuts such as ham. It also works well alongside other holiday salads, and it suits a New Year or celebration spread.
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