Chicken Salad with Apples, Walnuts, and Greens

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 large)
• 2 tsp fine sea salt for the poaching water, plus 1/2 tsp
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 cloves garlic, 1 smashed and 1 finely grated
• 1/2 cup walnut halves
• 1/2 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup avocado-oil mayonnaise Label: avocado oil, eggs, vinegar, and salt, with no sugar or seed oils
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard Label: mustard seed, vinegar, water, and salt
• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large crisp apple, such as Pink Lady or Fuji, skin on, cored and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped chives
• 1 head butter lettuce, leaves torn
• 3 cups arugula
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

1. Poach the chicken: Lay the chicken breasts in a wide saucepan in one layer and add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Add the 2 teaspoons of salt, the bay leaf, the thyme, and the smashed garlic. Bring it just to a simmer over medium heat, then turn the heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the thickest part of each breast reads 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Starting cold and keeping the water below a boil cooks the meat evenly, and a hard boil would tighten the outside before the center is done.
2. Cool and dice: Lift the chicken onto a plate and let it cool for 10 minutes, then refrigerate it for 15 minutes, until cool to the touch. Cut it into 1/2-inch pieces. Cooled meat holds onto its juices when you cut it, so the chicken stays moist and the dressing stays thick.
3. Toast the walnuts: While the chicken cools, toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan, for 4 to 5 minutes, until they smell nutty and turn a shade darker. Tip them onto a board, let them cool, and chop them coarsely. Toasting drives off moisture and browns the oils in the nuts, which turns them crisp and mellows the slight bitterness of their skins.
4. Make the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk the yogurt, mayonnaise, Dijon, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, the grated garlic, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper until smooth. The yogurt brings tang and protein, and the mayonnaise brings the richness that makes chicken salad taste like chicken salad.
5. Fold it together: Add the apple to the dressing first and stir to coat it, so the lemon reaches the cut surfaces right away. Then fold in the chicken, celery, shallot, parsley, chives, and most of the walnuts. Taste and add a pinch more salt or lemon if it needs it.
6. Dress the greens and serve: In another bowl, toss the butter lettuce and arugula with the olive oil, the vinegar, the remaining 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Divide the greens among four plates, spoon the chicken salad over them, and scatter the remaining walnuts on top.