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Olivier Salad

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 Ever wondered what to do with that leftover rotisserie chicken that has been brutal ripped apart in your last party? Are you bored of making it into the same chicken
sandwich over and over again? Is your family, like mine, who would not like to be fed the same food twice in a row? Well, I might just have the right recipe for a repurposed rotisserie chicken for you.
The Olivier salad – or Salad Oulovieh as we call it in Farsi – is originally a Russian dish that has become a staple of Persian cuisine by staying true to its original recipe for the most part. While in the Russian tradition, the salad used to be served in special occasions such as New Year’s Eve, it is treated as a complimentary side dish or appetizer in the Persian culinary.
It is definitely a crowd pleaser with a great combination of chunky potatoes, crunchy carrots and pickled cucumbers as well as creamy mayonnaise mixture. Give it a try and you’ll have a better appreciation for your next leftover rotisserie chicken.

 

Prep time: 15 min.

Cooking time: 2 hrs

Ready in: 2 hrs 15 min.

Level: Easy

Serves: 8-10

 

Olivier Salad

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Ingredients

½ cooked rotisserie chicken

5 pounds baking potatoes *

3 eggs

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup sweet peas, rinsed (if using can)

2 cups brined pickled cucumbers

8-10 tablespoons of Mayonnaise

Juice of ½ a lemon

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

*Using smaller potatoes will decrease the boiling time considerably. I had large potatoes and it took longer for their core to get soft.

 

Directions:

1. Place potatoes in a pot. Fill with enough water to cover the potatoes, add a pinch of salt and bring to boil.

2. Place the eggs in a small ziplock and close. Add to the boiling water. Sealing the eggs in a ziplock or any closed plastic bag prevents the eggs from cracking once placed in boiling water.

3. Cook potatoes until they are tender. When cooked, remove from heat, drain the water, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool down.

4. Shred the cooked rotisserie chicken and set aside.

5. In a large bowl, combine diced carrots, sweet peas, diced pickled cucumbers, shredded chicken, and grated hard-boiled eggs.

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6. After potatoes cooled down, remove the skin and using a cutting board, cut them into bite size pieces. I personally like a chunkier texture in my salad which allows me to taste everything; but if you prefer, you may grate the potatoes as well but I would refrain from mashing them since it would be hard to incorporate the rest of the ingredients afterwards.

 

7. Add mayonnaise, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir to mix them together.

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8. Add the content of the other bowl to the potatoes and mix well. Chill in the fridge for couple of hours before serving.

The Olivier salad can be a refreshing addition to any brunch party, indoor/outdoor pot luck, or even cocktail parties especially if served on slices of toasted baguette. It can also serve as sandwich fillers for birthday parties or quick picnics.

If you are watching your diet, you may easily use light mayonnaise or substitute half a mayonnaise with Greek yogurt for a healthier version. Being a main ingredient, I wouldn’t omit mayonnaise all together. When using Greek yogurt, it is better to leave the lemon juice out and add more salt and pepper.

 

Noosh-e j?n!

 

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