Sunday supper: Dilly Chicken Salad on Toast

Serves 4 to 6.

Crunchy, salty pickles are an incredible addition to so many meals. The acidity helps cut fattiness, and even a small amount adds so much flavor. Adding fresh dill and briny pickles to chicken salad takes it from ordinary to addictive. There’s just the right amount of crunch from extra veggies (carrots, celery and the pickles), and a tangy bite from the mustard. I prefer to serve it as an open-faced sandwich, since you get two sandwiches for the price of one — meaning more delicious bites and more variety. From “Come Hungry: Salads, Meals, and Sweets for People Who Live to Eat,” by Melissa Ben-Ishay, co-founder of Baked By Melissa (William Morrow, 2024).

For the salad:

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled, or you can use a rotisserie chicken

• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and grated

• 2 green onions, trimmed, white and light green parts finely chopped

• 3 small dill pickles or 1/2 large dill pickle, finely chopped

For the dressing:

• Juice of 2 lemons (about 1/3 c.)

• 1/3 c. mayonnaise

• 1/4 c. Dijon mustard

• 1 large clove garlic, minced

• 1 tsp. garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt

• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For the toast:

• 4 to 6 slices fresh sourdough bread

• Lettuce, for serving

• Tomato slices, for serving

• Fresh dill, chopped, for garnish

Directions

Mix in the celery, carrots, green onions, dill and pickles on low to combine.

To make the dressing: Whisk together the lemon juice, mayonnaise, mustard, pickle juice, garlic, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Combine the dressing with the chicken mixture.

To make the toast: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pan-fry the bread until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove the toast from the pan.

Scoop the chicken salad onto the bread with the lettuce and tomato and serve open-faced. Garnish with fresh dill.

From “Come Hungry,” by Melissa Ben-Ishay (William Morrow, 2024).

• 2 tbsp. avocado oil

• 1 tsp. fine sea salt

• 1 tsp. dried oregano

• 1 tsp. garlic powder

• Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tbsp.)

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 lb.), at room temperature

Directions

Whisk together the avocado oil, salt, oregano, garlic powder, pepper and lemon juice in a small bowl to create a marinade.

Place the chicken on a large plate and cover completely with the marinade.

Cook for 5 minutes on each side (it should cleanly come off the pan when it’s ready to flip). The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees when fully cooked.