Smoked Chicken and Jicama Salad with Tarragon Dressing

• Recipe by Ann Chantal Altman

Ingredients

1. 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2. 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3. 1 medium shallot, very finely chopped
4. 1/2 cup vegetable oil
5. 1/2 cup sour cream
6. 3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
7. Salt and freshly ground pepper
8. 2 whole smoked chicken breasts (about 2 pounds), skin discarded and meat cut into thin strips (see Note)
9. 3 Belgian endives—cored, halved crosswise and thinly sliced lengthwise
10. 1 cucumber—peeled, halved, seeded and thinly sliced
11. 1/2 large red onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
12. 1 medium jicama (3/4 pound), peeled and cut into matchsticks
13. 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
14. 2 bunches arugula (1/2 pound), stemmed
15. 1/4 cup snipped chives

Directions

1. In a blender or food processor, blend the vinegar with the mustard and shallot until combined. With the machine on, slowly add the oil until the dressing is emulsified. Blend in the sour cream. Transfer the dressing to a small bowl and stir in the tarragon. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.
2. In a large bowl, toss the smoked chicken with the endives, cucumber, onion, jicama and sun-dried tomatoes. Add the tarragon dressing, season with salt and pepper and toss well. Arrange the arugula on plates and top with the chicken salad. Garnish the salads with the snipped chives and serve.

Notes

If smoked chicken is unavailable, 1 1/2 pounds of smoked turkey can be substituted.