Chicken Salad a la Danny Kaye

Step 1

Place the chicken, breast side down, in a tall, narrow pot so it fits snugly on the bottom. Add remaining poaching ingredients. (The chicken should be submerged and the water should reach about 1" above it, put something heavy in chicken cavity like a heavy stainless steel spoon)

Step 2

Bring it to a gentle boil, cover and let boil gently for 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, cover with a heavy towel and set aside to let the chicken steep for 45 minutes.

Step 3

Remove the chicken from the pot and place on a platter to cool for a few minutes (The stock can be strained and frozen for up to 6 months for use in soup). save the veggies for like a pot pie with some of the chicken.

Step 4

Pick the meat from the bones, discarding skin, bones and fat. Shred the meat with your fingers, following the grain and pulling it into strips. (The meat tastes better shredded than diced with a knife.)

Step 5

DRESSING: Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl large enough to hold the chicken. Add chicken shreds to the dressing

Step 6

And mix well

Step 7

Arrange lettuce leaves in a nest around the outside of a platter.

Step 8

Spoon the room temp chicken salad into the center and sprinkle with the tarragon leaves and serve.

If you don't have a tall, narrow pot, use the narrowest you have and put the chicken in breast down. You will have to add more water to cover the chicken