Life might not seem very sunny right now, but if I’ve learned anything from this time at home, it’s that it’s important to make lemonade out of those lemons. Actually, what I’ve learned is to make my own picnic, and one of the best ways to do that is with chicken potato salad. Growing up, this was one of my favorite dishes. When we’d go out for Western food, it was a dish we’d order every time. I know it seems weird, but to Chinese people, dumplings are for regular meals. Even for special meals eaten at home, we always made chicken potato salad. This time, I’m not waiting for a special occasion. I’m making a creamy chicken potato salad that brightens my mood and reminds me that sunnier days are ahead. You can save time on this recipe by cooking your chicken and potatoes in the steamer at the same time. I like to put the chicken on the top portion of the steamer and then boil the potatoes in the pot beneath it. Also, all those juices mingle and it really cooks into something nice. While you can cook the chicken differently, I recommend steaming it this way because the chicken comes out with more flavor. I’ll detail further below what to do, but just a sprinkle of salt and some aromatics are all it really needs to shine. Of course, chicken potato salad needs to be creamy and that’s where the mayonnaise comes in. When it comes to that creamy texture, I prefer Kewpie mayonnaise. It’s so much smoother and more fragrant than the regular stuff, though if you have another brand in your fridge, don’t worry. You’ll still get delicious results! It’s not all mayo though. There’s a bit of Dijon mustard to round out the flavor, as well as some crispy bits of celery and onion to diversify the texture. I also add soft-boiled eggs to my chicken potato salad. Because the yolk is so soft, it adds more creaminess that is utterly divine. If you’re not a fan of the soft-boiled texture though, hard-boiled eggs will also be a treat when you make this picnic-perfect side! Want to learn more about Chinese Cooking? Sign up my newsletter to receive the 5-Day Chinese Cooking Crash Course and recipe update! If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.
Other fun western style recipes
Chinese-Style Arrabiata Pasta (Two Ways)Instant Pot Bolognese (Hong Kong Style, 港式肉酱意粉)Chinese Chili (Sichuan Style)Soft Cinnamon Rolls with SesameEasy Kimchi Pizza
Lilja Walter is a part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook team and worked closely with Maggie to develop and test this recipe.
