Artichoke Chicken Salad

Artichoke Chicken Salad is refreshing and simple to put together.

Chicken salad days are here. As the days get longer and warmer, we want food that is easy and cool. And in my house, we want the easy and cool things to be right there in the fridge, ready for us when we are ready for lunch (or breakfast or dinner). 

You can't get much easier than chicken salad. Especially when you use chicken that has already been cooked for you - grilled chicken you picked up from the prepared foods counter, or the rotisserie chicken they sell at the grocery store, or even leftover chicken just waiting for a second spin. This is assembly food, no cooking required. The kind of lunch or dinner that you could pull together and be sitting down to in 10 minutes. Or the kind that you make, and store in the fridge, and is there for whoever gets hungry, whenever they are hungry.

We love Tarragon Chicken Salad (find the recipe, and why we like it, here). But recently I saw Artichoke Chicken Salad on a menu, and I've been craving it ever since. This is my version, spiked with a little bit of dill to make it taste even springier. Altogether, Artichoke Chicken Salad is just about the coolest and easiest thing I can think of. 

Artichoke Chicken Salad

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 6-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained, reserving 1 tablespoon of the marinade
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 tablespoon fresh minced dill
1 scallion, minced
1 stalk celery, minced
4 cups shredded or diced cooked chicken 

In a bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and dry mustard. Whisk in the tablespoon of artichoke marinade, then the pepper, dill, scallion, and celery. Fold in the chicken and the drained artichoke hearts. Taste for seasoning - depending on the chicken you use, you may want to add salt and pepper. Serve in a sandwich or on top of greens.