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Chicken and Mushroom Salad with Pineapple
Instructions
Wash the fresh champignons (300 g) thoroughly under cold water, removing any traces of soil. Pat them dry with paper towels – damp mushrooms will steam instead of frying. Cut the mushrooms into medium pieces: halve the small ones and quarter the large ones. Peel the onion (80 g) and chop it finely with a knife.
Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped mushrooms and onion and fry for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are golden. Season with salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon). Transfer to a plate, leaving the fat in the pan – it will give a richer flavour.
While the mushrooms are cooking, boil the chicken leg quarter (about 350 g). Put the meat in a saucepan, cover with cold water, add 1 teaspoon of salt, 3–4 black peppercorns and 1 bay leaf. Bring to the boil, skim off the foam and cook over medium heat for 35–40 minutes until done. The cooked meat will come away from the bone easily. Take it out and cool completely – hot meat would melt the mayonnaise.
Grate the hard cheese (200 g) on a coarse or medium grater – it will serve both as a flavour component inside and as a decoration on top. A coarse grater gives airier shavings for the top layer. Cheese at room temperature grates more easily.
From the fully cooled chicken, remove the skin and the fat – they would give an unpleasant texture in the salad. Separate the meat from the bones and cut it into small cubes about 1–1.5 cm, or pull it into fibres. Place half of the meat as the first layer on a serving dish, forming a salad base about 18–20 cm in diameter.
Cover the first layer of chicken with a thin mesh of mayonnaise (about 1 tablespoon) – do not pour it on thickly, a thin even layer is enough. The mayonnaise binds the ingredients together and adds moisture. You can use a piping bag or simply spread it with a spoon.
For the next layer, add the fried mushrooms and onion, spreading them evenly over the whole surface. Do not coat this layer with mayonnaise – the mushrooms are juicy enough on their own, and extra mayonnaise would make the salad heavy. The mushrooms should be completely cooled.
Drain the canned pineapple (250 g) in a sieve so that all the syrup runs off – excess moisture would make the salad soggy. Cut the pineapple rings or pieces into small cubes. Spread half of the pineapple in a layer over the mushrooms. Do not add mayonnaise – the pineapple is very juicy.
Mix the remaining half of the chicken in a bowl with a little mayonnaise (about 1 tablespoon) and add it as the next layer. Chicken with mayonnaise turns out more tender and juicy. Level the layer with a spoon to make an even surface.
Add the second layer of pineapple – the remaining half. Again without mayonnaise. Press lightly with a spoon so that the layers settle firmly. The pineapple should cover the whole surface evenly.
Mix most of the grated cheese (about 150 g) with the remaining mayonnaise (1–2 tablespoons) and spread it over the pineapple, levelling it out. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese (about 50 g) on top as fluffy shavings – they decorate the salad nicely and create a "cap". The cheese shavings should not be pressed down.
Lightly coat the sides of the salad with a thin layer of mayonnaise and sprinkle them with finely chopped dill (1/2 bunch) – this creates a pretty green border. The dill can be replaced with parsley or spring onion. The salad takes on a festive look.
Cover the salad with cling film and put it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or better still for 1–2 hours to soak fully. During this time the layers set together and the flavours combine. Before serving, decorate with pineapple slices, herbs or lettuce leaves. The chicken, mushroom and pineapple salad is ready!
Tips
- 1
For a more diet-friendly version, use chicken breast instead of the leg quarter – it contains less fat, though the meat will be a little drier. Add a little more mayonnaise for moisture.
- 2
Canned pineapple can be replaced with fresh – the flavour will be brighter and more tart. Cut the fresh pineapple into small cubes and squeeze out the juice lightly.
- 3
The salad becomes even tastier after 2–4 hours in the refrigerator – the layers soak through completely and the flavours blend into a single harmony.
- 4
For an especially festive presentation, use a springform cake tin – it will give the salad a perfect round shape with even edges.
FAQ
What can I use instead of champignons in this salad? +
Any mushrooms will do: oyster mushrooms, honey mushrooms, chanterelles or even pickled ones. Be sure to fry fresh mushrooms until golden and cool them completely before adding them to the salad. Pickled mushrooms simply need to be drained and chopped.
Can I make the salad in advance? +
Yes, the salad can be assembled 4–6 hours before serving and kept in the refrigerator under cling film. It becomes even tastier once it has soaked through completely. The salad is also good the next day, but the pineapple may release extra moisture.
Why did my salad turn out runny and "leaky"? +
The main reasons are: the pineapple was not drained well enough; the mushrooms were not cooked dry; or the chicken or mushrooms were added warm. All the ingredients must be dry and completely cooled before assembling the salad.
What can I use instead of mayonnaise for a lighter version? +
Use sour cream, natural Greek yogurt, or a mixture of these with mayonnaise in a 1:1 ratio. The flavour will be less rich, but the salad will be much lighter. Add a pinch of salt, as yogurt and sour cream are less salty.
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