Cajun Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• Salt
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp mustard
• 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning
• 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• Tabasco or other hot sauce to taste

Directions

1. Put a 2-quart pot of generously salted water on high heat. While it comes to a boil, slice the chicken breasts into big 2 1/2-inch pieces. Once the water is boiling, drop in the chicken. Let the water come back to a simmer, then take the pot off the heat, cover it, and leave the chicken for 15 minutes — set a timer — or longer while you pull the rest together.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, paprika, Cajun seasoning, and horseradish until the dressing is smooth. Fold in the eggs, celery, green pepper, and green onion.
3. Lift the chicken out of the poaching water with a slotted spoon, then dice it. Add the chicken to the bowl with the rest of the salad and stir everything together. Season with salt and hot sauce to taste. Chill before serving.
4. Serve it on butter lettuce or tucked between 2 pieces of bread as a sandwich.
5. The poaching liquid left behind is a simple salted chicken broth; save it if you’d like, pour it into a cup, and drink it as a light soup.