Bethenny's Classic Chicken Salad

Recipe: Chicken Salad Recipe »

This chicken salad recipe is based on the chicken salad made famous by reality tv star Bethenny Frankel. And you know what? It really, really delicious! I'll share the secrets to making the best dupe of the Round Swamp Farms chicken salad and I'll also show you my favourite way to poach chicken that is incredibly easy and ensures moist chicken breasts.

About This Chicken Salad

The story goes that Bethenny Frankel from Real Housewives of New York City shared that she loved the chicken salad from Round Swamp Farm shop in The Hamptons. This chicken salad is smooth, creamy and almost like a pate in texture. There are no walnuts, apple or grapes in this chicken salad, it is basic chicken salad ingredients but sometimes simple is the best.

When Bethenny proclaimed that Round Swamp Farms was the best ever chicken salad, it took on a life of its own with hordes of people queueing to try the salad. Unfortunately it turned into a bit of a feud as Bethany felt like she was treated poorly by the shop even after she had brought them business and then became determined to show people how to make an even better version than what they sell.

And we are the benefactors of this grudge!

The key to Bethenny's chicken salad is a couple of things: first start with good quality chicken and keep the temperature of the chicken warm when you mix it all up. Also make sure to grate in the celery so that it gives flavour but doesn't affect the smooth texture.

Is a chicken salad actually healthy? Well the first thing you might notice when you see Bethenny Frankel is that she is not only skinny but famously so. She had a cocktail range called Skinnygirl that she sold for US$100 million dollars so it's almost like her trademark and she now posts videos on Instagram of "Supermodel snack platters". But really it's only the mayonnaise that is the only thing that might get it marked "unhealthy". Bethenny also seems to eat the chicken salad on top of tomato slices, stuffed in cucumber boats or on top of toasted pumpernickel bread.

What are the basic ingredients of chicken salad?

• Chicken breast - I like free range chicken breasts but make sure to poach them or use rotisserie chicken breasts. Do not boil your chicken breasts or you will get a rubbery texture which we definitely don't want!

• Mayonnaise - Use your favourite full fat mayo. I like Hellman's or Kewpie but really use whatever one you like.

• Celery - Since celery sticks really vary in size I've give you the weight which is basically around one long stick. Don't worry about peeling the string off the celery, it comes off when you grate it.

• Lemon juice - just to balance the creaminess of the mayonnaise.

• Garlic powder - I think there's definitely a place for garlic powder in the kitchen and it adds flavour but it is milder than fresh garlic. Same with Onion powder
• Smoked paprika - this gives the salad a bit of colour but also a light flavour.
• Parsley - use fresh continental or flat leaf parsley.

Tips For Making Chicken Salad

1 - Want to learn the best way to poach chicken breasts? Ever since I made Hainanese chicken rice in 2011 I've never poached chicken any other way. Bring 3-4 cups of chicken stock to the rapid boil (enough to cover the breasts), add two chicken breasts in (straight from the fridge is fine) and then put the lid on and turn the heat off. Leave the chicken to gently poach in the water with the lid on for 30 minutes. If the breasts are very large (I used 250g/8.8oz breasts) then leave it for an hour. Then remove from the stock and slice up. I promise that they will be fully cooked inside because if it works for a whole chicken like in Hainanese chicken, then it will work for chicken breasts!

2 - Using poached chicken breasts makes the salad more moist than rotisserie chicken. If you intend to use the chicken salad on a sandwich I think rotisserie chicken works better as it won't make the bread wet but if you're using it for a dip, then use poached chicken.

3 - Forget shredding up the chicken with your hands. Chop it up roughly and then use a stand mixer and paddle attachment to mix it all together! It doesn't take long at all-10 seconds for rotisserie chicken breasts and 40 seconds for poached chicken breasts.

4 - You want to grate all of the ingredients in so that there aren't any hard bits, it has the texture of a smooth pate.

5 - It's up to you whether you use poached chicken breasts or the breasts from a rotisserie chicken. Poaching your own means that the chicken breasts are a bit larger at around 250g/8.8ozsthan the standard rotisserie chicken breasts which were 200g/7ozs.

If you love chicken salad then also give my cauliflower and chicken salad recipe a try or these Chinese chicken salad balls! And if you like these cold salads then please try my tuna salad - it took me 6 years to come up with the recipe! If you are looking for a fun sandwich idea try this chicken salad in wraps and make chicken pinwheel sandwiches like this.

Chicken Salad Recipe

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Chicken Salad Recipe Overview

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 0 minutes

Makes just over 2 cups or 500g/1.1lb of chicken salad

Ingredients Needed

• 2 chicken breasts, warm, around 500g/2.2lbs total, poached or from a rotisserie chicken*see above for poaching instructions
• 160g/5.6ozs mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon/15ml0.5floz lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 80g/2.8ozs celery

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1 - Chop the chicken breast up, each roughly into large chunks and then place in a mixer bowl with a beater attachment. Set to medium speed for 10 seconds for rotisserie chicken or 40 seconds for poached chicken breasts.

Step 2 - Add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper and parsley. Grate the celery in. Set the mixer to beat on medium speed for 10 seconds. Taste for seasoning and serve on crackers, on sandwiches, on toast or slices of tomato.

Personal Note

I have to be honest and say that I knew almost nothing about Bethenny Frankel before this but I find her videos really entertaining and she seems down to earth for someone that really has no reason to be. I once met another Real Housewife at a function. My first impression of her what that she was very intense and quite paranoid. I suppose that happens when you don't really know who your friends are and I think that was the case here, especially if the show is any indication.

"Let me follow you! You seem like such a nice, normal person and I need some real friends," she said making a big show of following me on Instagram so I followed her back. She and her husband have a jewellery business in the city. I tried to be supportive liking her posts and leaving nice messages because she did seem a bit hurt. She never responded or reciprocated but I didn't think much of it.

A couple of days later I met up with another friend who also met her on the same day. She brought the Real Housewife up and rolled her eyes, "Oh her! She unfollowed me the second I followed her back," she said waving a hand dismissively and making a loud "Pffft!" sound. "She has probably done the same to you!" she said and sure enough, my "friendship" with this real housewife was over before I even knew it was!

So tell me Dear Reader, do you watch any real housewives shows? And what would you serve this chicken salad with?