Ashley Roussel's Pecan Chicken Salad Sandwich

Directions

(Makes 4 sandwiches)

Chicken Salad:

Ingredients for chicken salad:
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 lb. boneless chicken breast
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup chopped Cane River pecans
1/4 cup whole grain mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
8 slices of your favorite sandwich bread (ciabatta, sourdough, or multigrain all go really well)
I large slicing tomato, (heirlooms and creole preferably.)
2 cups of greens of your choice

In a pot, bring gallon of water to a gentle simmer and salt heavily. Once boiled, add thyme, rosemary, bay leaves and 1 teaspoon of black pepper to the water to create a poaching liquid. Add chicken and simmer gently until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 F (about 15 minutes, depending on your stovetop). Remove from heat and allow chicken to cool in the liquid and remove when ready to use. Dice the chicken. In a bowl, combine chicken with celery, pecans, mustard, mayo, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.


Pickled Red Onions:

Ingredients for pickled red onions: (Makes About 3 Cups)
1 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 small red onions, sliced thinly

In a saucepan, combine all ingredients except onions. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add the onions. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally. Keep refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.