Persian Chicken Salad for many refers to the well-known olivier salad. The Iranian version, like all of the other versions of Olivier’s grand creation, isn’t even remotely similar to the original. His salad included smoked duck, crayfish, veal tongue, grouse and even caviar. Most contemporary versions are meatless or are made with ham or other cold meat. The Iranian version uses shredded chicken.
# Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan of salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until just tender, about 12 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let cool.
# In a large nonstick frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderate heat. Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Cook the breasts until browned and just done, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it cool. Cut into 1/2-inch chunks.
# In a large glass or stainless-steel bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, lime juice, and the remaining 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the potatoes, chicken, carrots, cucumbers, celery, peas, onion, olives, parsley, and basil and toss.
Iranian Salads: Persian Walnut Salad
