Either way, chicken salad has been a staple of ladies-who-lunch tearooms and bridesmaid luncheons across the South for decades. Spooning it into a tomato adds another level of thoughtful presentation while also providing an edible vessel for the creamy concoction. This version begins with roasting a chicken for a flavor that’s deep and layered, but when pressed for time, a rotisserie chicken from the grocery deli works, too.
Ingredients
- 1 chicken (about 3 pounds/1.4 kg)
- Olive oil
- Sea salt and black pepper
- 1 bunch thyme
- 1 lemon, cut in half
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup (50 g) pecan halves
- ⅔ (165 ml) cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) sour cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
- 1 tablespoon chopped basil
- 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 6 medium, ripe tomatoes
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Dry the chicken well and then rub it with olive oil and sprinkle it liberally with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a cast-iron skillet. Stuff the cavity with the thyme and lemon halves. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wings under. Roast the chicken for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast (but not touching bone) reads 165°F (74°C) and the juices run clear. Allow the chicken to cool.
- While the chicken cooks, prepare the dressing. Heat the butter in a small skillet and then add the pecans, stirring until they are fragrant and toasted, a minute or two. Let them cool. Reserve about six pecan halves for garnish and break the others into small pieces.
- In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, basil, tarragon, celery, mustard, and pecan pieces.
- Once the chicken has cooled, pull the meat from the bone and shred it. Combine it with the desired amount of dressing and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.
- Cut an opening about 1½ inches (4 cm) wide in the top of each tomato. Scoop out the membranes and seeds, saving the tomato pulp for another application. Turn the hollowed-out tomatoes upside down onto paper towels and allow them to drain for about 10 minutes. Just before filling the tomatoes, sprinkle the insides of each tomato with salt and then fill it with salad. Top with a reserved pecan half.