Sumptuous for summer! This sensational salad has lots of crunch and even more fabulous flavor

In the summer of 2024, I was struggling to make sense of my life as a new mother. Every day was filled with uneasy wonder: How did I get here? What was I doing, and why did this new facet of my life, this ancient human experience, seem impossible?

One day, I remember putting my son in his crib for a nap and feeling so grateful that I could now, finally, lie down in bed and stare at the ceiling. I cried with relief, then guilt, then sadness. Eventually, I wiped away the tears, and, because I knew it might make me feel better, I opened a food delivery app and started to order lunch.

Moments later, there was a knock at the door. When I opened it, I found a blue-and-white paper plate holding an open-faced chicken salad sandwich with mango on the side.

My dear neighbor, a mother of three, had made me lunch. The mango seemed to glow in the dim hallway light, its fragrance mingling with the smell of the pungent, herb-flecked dressing on the chicken. I brought the food back to bed and ate it in blissful silence. Then, I cried again. This time it was out of deep gratitude and love.

I rummaged around for my phone to send my neighbor a thank-you note. She had texted: "Chicken salad with lots of red onion - because I like it that way, and because when you eat a lot of raw onion people leave you the hell alone!!! ❤️ Love you!"

Just as no two people are the same, no two pregnancies or birthing experiences are the same. Without sufficient support, any mother’s individual experience can be extremely isolating. It was only when I started to notice the care other mothers offered to me and each other that I started to feel like maybe, just maybe, I could do this.

For a lot of reasons, I never thought I would become a parent. But here I was, and here, too, I eventually discovered, was a club I now belonged to, one full of generosity and reciprocity, of unspoken care and deep love: motherhood.

Inspired by my neighbor’s chicken salad sandwich, here’s a recipe for Chicken Salad Tartines. There’s red onion and cucumber for crunch and flavor, plus tarragon and lots of lemon. Yogurt and mayonnaise keep it light and creamy. I highly recommend fresh, juicy fruit on the side for a burst of sweetness.

Chicken Salad Tartines

This marinated vegetable salad with sweet red peppers, white beans, olives, pesto and mozzarella takes just minutes to make. Using jarred or other prepared staples is the key to keeping this recipe speedy. To cut down on the sodium, make your own pesto and roasted red peppers. With bites of crusty baguette nestled right into it, the dish is a little like a sandwich in salad form. For a more filling meal, serve it over a pile of lettuce or other tender, leafy greens.

Make ahead: After the pesto is added to the salad, it can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.

Storage: Refrigerate the salad and greens separately for up to 3 days. Make ahead: After the pesto is added to the salad, it can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.

Where to buy: Fresh pesto can be found in the cheese or deli aisles of well-stocked supermarkets. It almost always has a better flavor than the shelf-stable variety. Make ahead: After the pesto is added to the salad, it can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.

TOTAL TIME:: 15 mins
SERVINGS: 4 (makes 3 cups salad)

This chicken salad, piled over lightly toasted bread, has lots of crunch thanks to red onion and diced cucumbers. Tarragon is the herb of choice here, though any tender herb, including parsley, sage or dill, would be a welcome substitute. A whole lemon’s worth of zest and juice keeps the salad bright. The combination of flavors pairs especially well with ripe mango, but any fresh fruit on the side would be nice. Using store-bought rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken makes this dish especially weeknight-friendly.

Storage: Refrigerate the salad for up to 4 days.

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• 2 cups (10 to 12 ounces) pulled or diced cooked and cooled chicken
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 to 2 lemons)
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, plus more as needed
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 1/4 cup vegan plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from the same 1 to 2 lemons)
• 2 mini cucumbers (5 ounces total), diced
• 1 small red onion (5 ounces), diced
• 4 slices soft sandwich bread, lightly toasted
• Cut fresh fruit, such as ripe mango, strawberries or oranges, for serving

STEPS

In a medium bowl, stir together the chicken, tarragon, lemon zest, salt and pepper until thoroughly combined. Add the yogurt, mayonnaise and lemon juice, and stir to incorporate. Stir in the cucumbers and onion to combine. Taste, and season with more salt and pepper, if desired.

Spread 3/4 cup of the salad on each slice of bread, grind a little more pepper, if desired, and serve, with fruit on the side.

Substitutions: Chicken >> home-cooked or canned (drained and rinsed) chickpeas or white beans; crumbled or cubed extra-firm tofu; cooked potatoes; or canned (and drained) tuna, salmon or trout. Instead of open-faced sandwiches >> put this salad inside a roll, wrap, pita pocket or plain croissant. Tarragon >> dill, parsley or chives. You can also use fresh sage, but reduce the amount to 1/2 tablespoon. Cucumbers >> radishes, celery or pickles. Red onion >> scallions. Egg-free? >> Use vegan mayonnaise.

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