Buttermilk is not a household staple, but I had some leftover after a fried chicken marathon and didn’t want it to go to waste. I am reconsidering its alien status after devising this dressing and a batch of buckwheat pancakes I made by subbing buttermilk for regular milk. I like buttermilk’s sassy flavor and its old school feel.
Make this salad with leftover roast chicken, a store-bought rotisserie chicken or some poached boneless skinless chicken breasts.
2 servings
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 heaping cups of diced (1/2 inch) cooked chicken
2 stalks celery, trimmed and cut on the bias into thin slices
1 small ripe tomato, cored and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 small ripe Haas avocado, seed removed, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
2 cups small greens, can be any of the following or a mix: baby arugula, baby spinach, mesclun, Boston lettuce with cores removed and leaves torn into small bits, shredded romaine
Beat the mayonnaise, buttermilk and salt and pepper to taste together in a bowl large enough to hold all the ingredients. Add the chicken and toss. It’s best to let the chicken sit in the dressing, tossing it once in a while, for 30 minutes to an hour.
Just before serving, add the celery, tomato, avocado, and greens and toss very well until the dressing coats everything. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.