Chicken and Egg Salad Toasts with Lemon Aioli and Fennel
- 2 large eggs
- Table salt
- 1 pound (455 grams) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs; or 2¼ cups leftover chicken, skinned, deboned, and cubed
- ½ cup finely chopped fennel bulb
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds (greens), plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Slices of whole-grain bread, toasted
- 1 small garlic clove
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Few gratings of fresh lemon zest
- ½ cup (120 ml) olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- Lemon juice to taste
Instructions:
Dolloped on toasted whole-grain bread and garnished with extra herbs, it makes a lunch that feels civilized, like something from a time of fine dishes, pressed linen napkins, and lunch eaten slowly and deliberately.
- Place whole eggs in a small pot of cold water, and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes exactly. Drain the eggs, and rinse them in cool water. Let them cool completely in the fridge until needed.
- Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Reduce to a very low simmer. Gently add chicken cutlets, and cook slowly until 155 degrees in the middle—if you trust the source of your chicken—or 160 degrees if you don’t wish to get yelled at by food police, about 10 minutes total. If you have the time, place the chicken in a bowl, cover with the cooking broth, and store in the fridge overnight. The next day, scrape off any thickened stock and chop the chicken. It will be more tender after resting like this. If you don’t have the time, simply cool the chicken and cut it into small cubes.
- First, on a cutting board, mince the garlic clove, and mash it with the salt to a paste with side of your knife.
- Add the garlic paste, egg yolk, Dijon mustard, and zest to a medium bowl. Begin whisking in the olive oil drop by drop, as slowly as you can bear. (I find having a second person dripping it in makes it easier. I do not recommend using your toddler as this second person.) Continue in this manner until the mixture begins to thicken. Once the mayo has emulsified, you can add the rest of the oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking all the time. Arm getting tired? Try to murmur, “Jiggle-free upper arms … sleeveless sundresses …,” to yourself. I find it helps morale. Add the vinegar and a squeeze of lemon juice, and whisk until combined. Taste, and adjust lemon and seasonings to your liking.
- Add the garlic paste, egg yolk, Dijon mustard, and zest to your blender. Run the machine, and begin adding the oil drop by drop, as slowly as you can bear. Continue in this manner until the mixture begins to thicken. Once the mayo has emulsified, you can add the rest of the oil in a slow, steady stream, running the machine all the time. Add the vinegar and a squeeze of lemon juice, and blend until combined. Taste, and adjust lemon and seasonings to your liking.
- You should have ¾ to 1 cup aioli. Add half of it to a large bowl, and combine with the chopped chicken, fennel, fennel fronds, and chives. Add additional aioli in small increments until you have your desired amount of dressing. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Dollop generously on toasts, and garnish with extra greens. Eat and enjoy.