For a new mom, chicken salad for the soul

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.

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Chicken Salad Tartines

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)

¼ teaspoon fine salt, plus more as needed

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed

¼ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

¼ cup mayonnaise

¼ 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

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 ¾ cup of the salad on each slice of bread, grind a little more pepper, if desired, and serve, with fruit on the side.

4 servings (makes 3 cups salad)

*Note: Using store-bought rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken makes this dish especially weeknight-friendly.

Substitutions: For chicken, use 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. For tarragon, use dill, parsley or chives. You can also use fresh sage, but reduce the amount to ½ tablespoon. For cucumbers, use radishes, celery or pickles. For red onion, use scallions. Egg-free? Use vegan mayonnaise.

Storage: Refrigerate the salad for up to 4 days.

Nutrition per serving (1 tartine): 442 calories, 32g carbohydrates, 44mg cholesterol, 27g fat, 4g fiber, 19g protein, 5g saturated fat, 728mg sodium, 5g sugar

— G. Daniela Galarza.