Chicken Salad with Champagne Mayonnaise
Chicken Salad Recipe - Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

Champagne Mayonnaise (see recipe below)
2 boneless chicken breasts, skinned and seasoned with salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter
Splash of olive oil
1/4 cup scallion (green onion) tops, sliced on the bias
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoon Champagne Vinegar Mayonnaise
Cashews (or other nuts for crunch), optional
Diced celery, optional

Heat a skillet (preferably cast-iron) on medium heat. Add butter and the splash of oil and heat. NOTE: When you want to brown something, if you add a little oil to the butter, it will keep the butter from burning.

Add the chicken breasts to the hot butter/oil mixture, turn down the heat to low, and sauté the chicken breasts for approximately 8 minutes until brown. Turn the chicken breasts over and sauté for another 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts until browned. Remove the chicken from the skillet, and let it rest on the cutting board for about 15 minutes (you want the juices to redistribute back into the meat).

When the chicken is cool, cut the breasts into 1/2-inch chunks. 

In a medium bowl, combine the chicken chunks, scallion tops, salt, and pepper. Add your homemade Champagne Mayonnaise, a little at a time, and toss gently. NOTE: Add the amount of mayonnaise that you like to achieve the right consistency for you and your family. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to let the flavors mingle. 

Serve on top of tomato slices, an avocado half, or (my personal favorite) right out of the bowl! I like to add some cashews for some extra crunch.  You can also add diced celery if you desire.

It’s that simple! Once you make your own mayonnaise, you’ll never go back to store bought!  And, as long as you have the ingredients on hand, you’ll never run out That’s the best part - and, of course, how it tastes!
 

Makes 2 servings.

Champagne Mayonnaise
2 eggs, room temperature*
1 teaspoon ground dry mustard
2 tablespoons white champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh canola oil (approximate)**

* Since raw eggs are being use, only use the freshest eggs you can buy (the fresher, the better). As an egg ages, lecithin, a protein that acts as the central emulsifying agent, breaks down and the power of the egg yolk to stabilize the mayonnaise weakens. You may also use pasteurized eggs.

** For a basic mayonnaise, use an oil with a mild flavor that won't overpower the other ingredients. If you plan to refrigerate your mayonnaise, then choose a refined oil such as pure olive oil or sunflower oil. An unrefined oil, such as extra virgin olive oil, will solidify when chilled and cause separation later as it returns to room temperature.

Place eggs, mustard, vinegar, and salt into your blender, and blend for about 10 seconds until creamy. 

With the blender running, add the oil very slowly in a thin stream to start the emulsion process. The mayonnaise will begin to emulsify (get thick). Keep slowly adding the oil until it is the consistency you want. You may find that you will use a little less oil, depending on your personal taste. 

As the mayonnaise begins to thicken, turn off the blender, and scrape down the sides and bottom of the blender by the blades. Turn back on, and slowly add additional oil, if needed.

Transfer the finished mayonnaise to a bowl. If not using right away, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The sauce will keep for a good week.

Makes approximately 2 to 2 1/4 cups.