Salpicão
Brazilian Holiday Chicken Salad, creamy & crunchy
Nearly every Brazilian family has its own version of salpicão, and almost all of them are different. It is a regular presence at our tropical holiday tables, especially Christmas, and a dish shaped as much by habit and memory as by recipe. Some versions lean sweeter, others saltier, some heavier on mayonnaise, others packed with crunch. This one is mine.
The small trick here is preparing the dressing separately and folding it in only at the end. That way, the ingredients keep their texture and individuality, and the salad stays lively, both in flavor and in bite. I am not particularly fond of mayonnaise, so I favor the softness of Brazilian requeijão, balanced with the gentle acidity of yogurt. The result is creamy, but restrained. If you prefer a more familiar profile, you can substitute the yogurt with the same amount of mayonnaise and add the juice of half a lemon, tasting and adjusting as you go.
I suggest celery for its crunch and freshness, though I know it is not traditional or accessible everywhere in Brazil. Canned hearts of palm are an excellent substitute and, for holiday occasions like Christmas dinner, even more elegant. In the method, I explain when to add them so they do not break or disappear into the salad.
Salpicão
Serves 4-6, generously
Salad
1 very large chicken breast or 2 small ones (about 200 g total), cooked and shredded
½ cup raisins
1 cup diced ham
1 large raw carrot (about 1 cup), coarsely grated
1 can corn, drained
1 cup cooked peas, drained
1 cup thinly sliced celery (about 3 large stalks, leaves removed)
may be replaced with canned hearts of palm, cut into pieces, or omitted
1 green apple, cut into small cubes
½ cup pitted green olives, sliced
⅔ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
reserve about ⅓ for finishing
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
100 g batata palha (Brazilian shoestring potatoes), for serving
Dressing
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup Brazilian requeijão (200 g)
1 cup shelf-stable heavy cream or table cream (200 g)
1 teaspoon salt
Place the chicken breast in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Add a generous pinch of salt. If you like, add aromatics such as onion, garlic, scallions, black peppercorns, bay leaves, or even a bouillon cube. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken is tender and fully cooked through. Remove from the broth, let it cool slightly, then shred.
Place the raisins in a small bowl, cover with hot water, and let them soak while you prepare the other ingredients. Drain well before using.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, requeijão, and cream until smooth and homogeneous. Season only with the salt. Refrigerate while you assemble the salad.
In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, drained raisins, ham, grated carrot, corn, peas, celery, and green apple. Mix gently to avoid crushing the ingredients. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Add the dressing gradually, folding carefully until everything is evenly coated and creamy.
Gently fold in the sliced olives and about ⅔ of the chopped parsley, just until incorporated. If using hearts of palm instead of celery, add them at this stage along with the olives, as they are delicate and break easily.
Transfer the salpicão to a serving dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the flavors can meld. Just before serving, top with the batata palha and the remaining parsley to preserve their crunch and freshness.
Salpicão can be prepared ahead and kept refrigerated for up to three days. The flavors actually improve with time.
Store in a tightly sealed container, with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface, and always use very clean utensils when serving.
Before serving again, gently stir to redistribute the dressing.
Remove the shoestring potatoes before refrigerating, as they will absorb moisture and release excess oil into the salad.
