Olivier Salad
Everyone has an opinion about Olivier salad, so we'll just tell you how we make ours. We use poached chicken breast, salty pickles for crunch and tang, and neat pea-sized cubes throughout. The one rule we never break: chill the cooked vegetables completely before dicing, so the salad holds its shape instead of turning mushy.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Rest
- 1 h
- Total
- 2 h
- Servings
- 6
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 370 kcal
Ingredients
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What to use instead
For a lighter version, replace a third of the mayonnaise with thick Greek yoghurt.
Makes: 6 servings
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
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Step 1: Poach the chicken
Put the chicken in a pan, cover with cold water and add the bay leaf and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes until the meat is white all the way through (74°C/165°F inside). Let it cool in the broth so it stays moist.
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Step 2: Boil the vegetables
Scrub the potatoes and carrot and boil them in their skins in salted water for 20–25 minutes, until a knife slides easily to the centre. Drain and let them cool completely.
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Step 3: Hard-boil the eggs
Lower the eggs into boiling water and cook for 10 minutes, then move them straight into cold water for 5 minutes. The yolks stay bright yellow and the shells slip off easily.
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Step 4: Chill everything
Let everything cool to room temperature — or better, chill for an hour. Warm vegetables crumble when cut and turn the mayonnaise runny.
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Step 5: Dice evenly
Peel the potatoes, carrot and eggs. Cut them, the chicken and the pickles into even 7 mm cubes. Spread the pickles on paper towels to soak up excess brine.
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Step 6: Mix the salad
Put everything in a large bowl with the drained peas and finely sliced spring onions. Add the mayonnaise, season with salt and pepper and fold gently with a spatula, lifting from the bottom.
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Step 7: Season and serve
Taste and add more salt if needed. Spoon into a serving bowl, smooth the top and scatter with finely chopped dill.
Tips & variations
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Tip
Making it ahead? Dice everything and keep it separate from the mayonnaise, then dress it 30 minutes before serving so it stays fresh and firm.
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Variation
Swap the chicken for the same weight of boiled beef, tongue or good-quality ham.
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Swap
For a lighter version, replace a third of the mayonnaise with thick Greek yoghurt.
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Storage
Once dressed, keep covered in the fridge and eat within 24 hours.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 6 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 370 kcal | 2,220 kcal |
| Protein | 18 g | 108 g |
| Fat | 25 g | 150 g |
| Carbohydrates | 19 g | 114 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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