Inspired bY a seaside lunch in Southampton, this hearty, farm-stand-fresh salad is the kind of recipe Beth Le Manach does best—easy, elegant, and straight from her cookbook Entertaining 101: 101 Recipes Every Host Should Know How to Make. With tender potatoes, juicy fruit, savory bites of meat, and a salty crunch from pistachios or candied pecans, it’s practically a meal on its own. Beth loves serving it tucked into slices of pumpernickel with Bibb lettuce and heirloom tomatoes, but it’s just as perfect packed up for a beach day—especially if you add a few of her Dangerously Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies or Better-Than-Box Brownies for dessert.

recipe

SERVES 6 TO 8

CHICKEN SALAD

11⁄2 pounds (680 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 2 breasts; see Note 1)
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 pound (454 g) red baby new potatoes (see Note 2)
3⁄4 cup (180 g) sour cream
1⁄4 cup (55 g) mayonnaise
2 teaspoons (10 ml) Dijon mustard
1⁄4 cup (60 ml) chopped fresh dill
1⁄4 cup (60 ml) chopped fresh tarragon
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
11⁄2 cups (235 g) red grapes, halved lengthwise
1 cup (122 g) raw pistachios, shelled (see Note 3)

SANDWICHES

8 leaves Bibb lettuce
2 medium ripe heirloom tomatoes, cut into 8 slices
Sliced rustic bread (such as pumpernickel, hearty whole wheat, or sourdough)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Line a baking sheet with foil.

2. Make the salad: Season the chicken, under the skin, with salt and pepper.

3. Roast the chicken on the baking sheet for 45 minutes, until cooked through. Set aside to cool.

4. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in a large pot of water until fork-tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and let cool. Cut the potatoes into quarters and set aside.

5. Whisk the sour cream, mayonnaise, and mustard in a large bowl. Add the dill, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

6. Remove the chicken skin. Use two forks to shred the chicken meat into long bite-size pieces, removing the meat from the bones.

7. Add the chicken, potatoes, grapes, and pistachios to the bowl, and toss to coat in the dressing. Check for seasoning, adding more salt or pepper as desired.

8. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Place a big scoop on a Bibb lettuce leaf for a dainty lunch, or prepare sandwiches by placing lettuce, tomato slices, and chicken salad on sliced bread and take them to the beach.

NOTES

1. To make this recipe even quicker, you can use 2 cups (705 g) shredded store-bought rotisserie chicken.

2. I leave the skin on the potatoes for a more colorful salad and a bit more texture.

3. Look for raw, shelled pistachios at Trader Joe’s or your local Mediterranean market.

MAKE-AHEAD GAME PLAN

This salad is best made a few hours before serving. However, if you would like to make it a day ahead, it’s better to prepare all the components, place them in a bowl minus the dressing, and refrigerate. Toss in the dressing a few hours before serving: That way, the salad won’t dry out.