Tarragon-Walnut Chicken Salad - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon tarragon wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons walnut oil
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped plus 4 sprigs
1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
1 cup walnuts, chopped &,divided
1/2 cup dried apricot, chopped &,divided
4 large lettuce leaves

Preparation

Place chicken in large skillet or dutch oven.
Add enough water to cover chicken.
Bring to a gentle boil over medium high heat.
Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until juices run clear.
Remove chicken from liquid.
Cool and cut into 1/2\" cubes In a small bowl, blend together mayonnaise and sour cream, stir in vinegar, salt and pepper.
Whisk in walnut oil until blended.
Stir in chopped tarragon and chives.
Reserve 2 Tbs of the apricots and 2 Tbs walnuts for garnish, then add remainder to mayonnaise mixture.
Mix well.
Stir in chicken.
Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours or until well chilled.
Place 1 lettuce leaf on each plate and mound chicken salad onto leaves.
Sprinkle with reserved walnuts and apricots, then garnish with tarragon sprigs.
*Ifyou don't have walnut oil you can toast the walnuts before chopping them to bring out their flavor and substitute 2 Tbs of cream for the walnut oil.