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Bride Salad with Smoked Chicken and Processed Cheese
Instructions
I prepare all the ingredients I need. I boil the eggs hard, and cook the potatoes in their skins until done. You can use shop-bought mayonnaise or homemade.
I take the smoked chicken (I use the thigh), remove the skin, separate the meat from the bone and chop it finely.
I grate the boiled, peeled potatoes on the fine side of the grater.
I finely chop a small onion. You can marinate the onion in a vinegar solution or add it to the salad raw.
I grate the processed cheese on the fine side of the grater.
I separate the hard-boiled eggs into whites and yolks. I mash the yolks with a fork into fine crumbs.
I grate the egg whites on the fine side of the grater.
I start assembling the salad. On a flat plate I place a small-diameter serving ring or a glass. Around it I spread the chopped smoked chicken.
On top I add the onion and cover it with a net of mayonnaise.
The next layer is the grated potato.
I cover it with mayonnaise again.
I add the yolks and also cover them with mayonnaise.
I spread the processed cheese in an even layer and cover it with mayonnaise.
The last layer is the grated egg whites. I press the salad lightly so it holds its shape well.
I carefully lift off the serving ring and decorate the salad to my taste.
The Bride salad with smoked chicken and processed cheese is ready. It turned out very tasty, filling and beautiful – perfect for the festive table.Bon appétit!
Tips
- 1
CHICKEN WITH SKIN – remove the skin before chopping. The skin gives an excess of smoky flavour and fat, while the meat without it gives a balanced taste.
- 2
BOIL THE POTATOES IN THEIR SKINS – they won't fall apart and will stay firm. Once cooled, they peel easily.
- 3
MARINATE THE ONION – raw onion will be too sharp in the salad. Ten minutes in water with vinegar and sugar makes it mild.
- 4
PRESS THE LAYERS LIGHTLY – so the salad holds its shape when the ring is removed. A similar principle works for other layered salads.
Video
FAQ
Which part of the smoked chicken is best to use? +
In the original the thigh is used – it is juicier, meatier, with a bright smoky flavour. Alternatives: smoked breast (a more dietary option, but drier), smoked leg (the most "restaurant" part), smoked wing (cheaper, but less meat). Home-smoked chicken will taste better than shop-bought. If choosing shop-bought, look for a natural composition without flavour enhancers. A check: it should not taste "soapy" (that is a sign of liquid smoke).
What can replace the processed cheese? +
Alternatives: grated hard cheese (different flavour), Almette cream cheese (creamy texture), grated brynza (a salty note), "Yantar" cheese (a classic of Soviet processed cheeses). Processed cheese gives the "signature" flavour for Soviet and post-Soviet salads. Choose "Druzhba", "Yantar" or "Viola" – tried-and-tested options. Avoid processed cheeses with additions (mushrooms, bacon, ham) – they will spoil the flavour of the salad.
How long does the salad keep? +
In the refrigerator in a closed container – 2 days. The next day the flavour is brighter, as the layers soak in the mayonnaise. Longer is not advisable – the mayonnaise loses its freshness and the smoked chicken "dries out". At room temperature – 2 hours at most. It cannot be frozen – the layered structure will break down. For a festive table, assemble it 2–3 hours before serving. Decorate it just before the guests arrive.
How can I decorate the salad? +
Options for the "bride": sprinkle the top with egg whites (already done) as a "white dress", decorate the edges with parsley or dill, lay out pomegranate seeds – a beautiful contrast with the white, or make a "bouquet" from beetroot balls or cherry tomatoes. For a classic presentation – a simple white "dress" plus green "bunches" of herbs. For a New Year table – "snowflakes" from sliced cucumber or olives. A photogenic presentation is the main thing in this salad – the name obliges.
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