The following “Chew This!” column originally appeared in “The Courier-Times” and / or “The Shelbyville News”. Check their websites for further information and dates.

Summer Chicken Salad

Blaise Doubman

This is the best chicken salad! Perfect on buttery croissants. I like a rotisserie chicken for this but also try roasting 2 large chicken breasts, with the bone in and the skin on, in the oven at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes. Before baking drizzle each with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. I have tried all kinds of chicken salad and this is by far one of my very favorites, especially during the warm summer months. When I shared a chicken salad recipe before, I had a reader write in that she she liked adding raisins or dried cranberries to her salad. Which is perfectly fine to do! All cooking “recipes” should be able to be trailered to whoever is making them and their taste buds.

This chicken salad is best, as I mentioned earlier, with a rotisserie chicken because you have the perfect combination of white and dark meat that has been perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection. However, you can also go to the extra trouble in baking chicken breasts, or even thighs, allowing them to cool and preparing the chicken that way yourself. Both ways are equally delicious. Be sure if you chose the route in making the chicken yourself and skipping the rotisserie chicken, to buy chicken breasts and thighs with the bone in and skin on. This will ensure that the meat stays perfectly moist.

The Perfect Chicken Salad

This salad is best kept chilled for up to 3 days.

3 cups cooked chopped chicken

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup white grapes, halved

1 cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup diced celery

In a large bowl place the prepared chicken.

In a medium bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, fresh lemon juice, salt and black pepper until combined and smooth.

Add the prepared grapes, chopped pecans and diced celery to the prepared chicken and stir gently.

Pour over the dressing and stir gently. Taste for seasonings. Refrigerate. Serve.

Ask and Answer: I have been getting questions about what to do with fresh strawberries. If you search for “strawberries” on my website, you will discover a variety of strawberry recipes from jams and jellies, to cakes, cupcakes and even strawberry pizza. All are delicious!