Name: Creamy Tahini Chicken Salad
Total time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1½ lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 4 medium); 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more; 3 garlic cloves, finely grated; ⅔ cup tahini; ¼ cup fresh lemon juice; 3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard; 1 Tbsp. honey; Freshly ground pepper; 3 celery stalks, finely chopped; 1 small red onion, finely chopped; 1 jalapeño or serrano chile, halved, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped; ½ cup coarsely chopped tender herbs (such as parsley, dill, and/or tarragon); ⅓ cup coarsely chopped dried fruit (such as Medjool dates, apricots, and/or golden raisins); Butter or Little Gem lettuce leaves or toast (for serving)

Tahini chicken salad wrapped in lettuce wraps on a platter.

Photograph by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Christina Allen

Mayo haters, this one’s for you. A creamy tahini sauce (made with lemon juice and tangy Dijon mustard) solves the problem of creating a rich and well-dressed chicken salad without the world’s most polarizing condiment. Side benefits include picnic tote-ability—even mayonnaise fans can admit it doesn’t do well in the sun—and its capacity to retain its flavor and texture when eaten straight from the fridge for lunch the next day.

What you’ll need

Medium Pot with Lid
$155 At Amazon
Measuring Cups and Spoons Set
$13 $12 At Amazon

Recipe notes