Circassian Chicken Salad Recipe

Name: Circassian Chicken Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 pound skinless chicken breasts; 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or walnut oil; 4 teaspoons paprika; 1 ½ cups chopped walnuts, divided; 3 chopped garlic cloves; 2 tablespoons chopped green onions; 1 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste; 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, divided; 2 slices of bread, crusts removed; 1 quart chicken stock; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; Juice of 1 lemon

Please welcome guest author Hank Shaw of Hunter Angler Gardener Cook who shares one of his favorite chicken salads with us. ~Elise

Not sure where I first heard of this variant on chicken salad, but I’ve been making it for years.

Presumably it originated in the Caucasus Mountains, which is where the Circassians live. I’ve net yet met a Circassian, although I suspect they may be something like an Armenian. Or not. Who knows?

What I do know is that there are plenty of recipes for this dish out there, but what ties them all together are walnuts, garlic, paprika and poached chicken.

This recipe is a great way to get away from typical mayo-based chicken salads, and is wonderful either as a sandwich, or simply served with crusty bread and a pickle or two. Once made, it keeps well in the fridge for at least 3 to 4 days.

Who are the Circassians?

Circassians are originally from the Caucasus Mountains, a region with the Black Sea to it west and the Caspian Sea to its east and runs through Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia. In 1864, Tsarist Russia invaded their homeland and most of them were forced to flee, and now the Circassians live in about 40 different countries.

Circassian Chicken Salad

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Servings 4 to 6 servings

1 pound skinless chicken breasts
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or walnut oil
4 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts, divided
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, divided
2 slices bread, crusts removed
1 quart chicken stock
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon

Food processor

Poach the chicken breasts:

Bring the chicken stock to a simmer and add the chicken breasts. Add some water if there is not enough liquid to cover the meat. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat.
Heat paprika in olive or walnut oil:

Meanwhile, heat the olive or walnut oil in a small pot over low heat and add the paprika. Stir well to combine. Heat until you can smell the aroma of the paprika, then turn off the heat.
Soak bread in broth:

Tear the bread into chunks and put into a bowl. Ladle out about a cup or two of the chicken stock and pour it over the bread.
Make walnut paste:

Put one cup of the walnuts into a food processor. Add the garlic, the cayenne, about a teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of the parsley and the soaked bread. Pulse to make a thick, relatively chunky paste.

If it needs a bit more chicken stock to loosen up, add some a tablespoon at a time.

Stir the paprika-oil, then pour it into the food processor and buzz to combine. Add salt to taste.
Assemble the salad:

Tear the chicken breasts into shreds. Put it in the bowl with the remaining 1/2 cup walnuts, the green onions and 1 tablespoon of parsley.

Add the walnut-paprika paste from the food processor to the bowl and stir gently to combine everything thoroughly. Add black pepper and lemon juice to taste.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
501	Calories
34g	Fat
18g	Carbs
34g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories	501
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 34g	43%
Saturated Fat 4g	20%
Cholesterol 69mg	23%
Sodium 388mg	17%
Total Carbohydrate 18g	7%
Dietary Fiber 3g	12%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 34g
Vitamin C 14mg	70%
Calcium 75mg	6%
Iron 3mg	16%
Potassium 594mg	13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.