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Spinach, Egg & Dill Pickle Salad with Chicken

This simple Spinach, Egg & Dill Pickle Salad is originally titled “Salamgundy Salad” and comes from the historical cookbook “The Hamilton Cookbook” by Laura Kumin.

Spinach, Egg & Dill Pickle Salad with Chicken

When my friend Laura read this post, she’s going to fall out of her chair. 😂

I’ll explain, but first let’s talk about this Spinach, Egg & Dill Pickle Salad with Chicken.

It is so simple and it’s become one of the staples on our new keto way of eating. It began with just spinach and chicken and the occasional hard-boiled egg. But when I saw the recipe for Salamagundy Salad in Laura’s cookbook and it had all of those ingredients plus a few more, I knew we had to try it.

Incidentally, I never would have added pickles. Dill Pickle Salad didn’t exactly sound like my kind of salad. But damn if it didn’t work to make it even better!

Laura’s cookbook is called “The Hamilton Cookbook: Cooking, Eating and Entertaining in Hamilton’s World”, and it’s got to be one of the most interesting cookbooks I’ve ever owned. As a lover of history (it’s the only college class I consistently got an A+ in) and cooking, I find her book fascinating.

The Hamilton Cookbook

The book’s Amazon page describes it like this:

What was it like to eat with Alexander Hamilton, the Revolutionary War hero, husband, lover, and family man? In The Hamilton Cookbook, you’ll discover what he ate, what his favorite foods were, and how his food was served to him. With recipes and tips on ingredients, you’ll be able to recreate a meal Hamilton might have eaten after a Revolutionary War battle or as he composed the Federalist Papers.

The recipes have been updated and rewritten for modern times yet you get a feel for how they were prepared during Hamilton’s days. From meats to desserts there’s a recipe for everyone, each one more interesting than the last.

The Salmagundy Salad that I chose to make (and renamed to “Spinach, Egg & Dill Pickle Salad with Chicken” or no one would know what the heck I was talking about) is absolutely delicious. It’s very simple with just a handful of ingredients, many of which you likely have on hand.

I promised Laura I would write about her cookbook very early this year and it’s taken me quite some time to get to it. Which is why I know she’ll fall over when she sees I finally did it! Better late than never? 

I did change the recipe to our tastes just a bit, omitting the anchovies and just a small amount of lemon pulp. I also opted not to layer my salad for convenience sake, but I can see how doing so would make a lovely presentation.

Do give my Spinach, Egg & Dill Pickle Salad a try, and be transported back in history! You can check out Laura’s incredible book on Amazon.

Spinach, Egg & Dill Pickle Salad with Chicken
Spinach, Egg & Dill Pickle Salad with Chicken

Spinach, Egg & Dill Pickle Salad with Chicken

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

The original title for this salad is "Salamagundy Salad" from Laura Kumin's "The Hamilton Cookbook".

Ingredients

SALAD INGREDIENTS

  • 1 roasted chicken, cut or shredded into bite-sized pieces, (I use a rotisserie chicken)
  • 6 hard-boiled eggs, whites and yolks minced separately
  • 2 oz anchovies, minced, (I omit these for personal preference)
  • 4 lemons, juiced and pulp removed and chopped (reserve the juice for the dressing), (I only add about half the lemon pulp called for)
  • 2/3 cup minced sweet pickle chips , (I have used both sweet and dill)
  • 3-6 oz arugula, (I usually do all spinach and skip the arugula, unless I have some on hand)
  • 6 oz baby spinach leaves

DRESSING INGREDIENTS

  • 6 oz fresh lemon juice, (from reserved juice when making the salad)
  • 6 oz extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp coarse salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

For the salad:

  1. Place the pieces of chicken in a layer at the bottom of a large bowl or dish.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients in the order listed. 

For the dressing:

  1. Whisk the ingredients together or shake them in a covered jar until the mixture has emulsified.
  2. Pour about half of the dressing over the top of the salad just before serving and serve the rest in a small pitcher for those who want extra.
Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1125Saturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 470mgSodium: 747mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 4gSugar: 9gProtein: 73g
Kristy Bernardo
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