What's on Your Plate
Freds' Style Chicken Salad is based on the famous Freds at Barneys salad, made weeknight easy. Rotisserie chicken, crisp pear, green beans, ripe tomato and creamy avocado sit on a finely chopped salad base, finished with a mustard balsamic vinaigrette.
Some salads are a side dish. Freds' Style Chicken Salad is dinner. Tender chicken sits on a bed of finely chopped greens, surrounded by juicy pear, green beans, ripe tomato and creamy avocado, and a tangy balsamic vinaigrette brings it all together. Best of all, leftover rotisserie chicken turns a restaurant classic into a twenty minute meal.
This version is inspired by Freds' Chicken Salad With Balsamic Dressing, a recipe from Mark Strausman and Susan Littlefield, adapted by Ginia Bellafante for NYT Cooking. The original tosses everything together in one bowl. Here, the salad is composed instead, so every ingredient keeps its color and its crunch until the moment you dig in.
From Madison Avenue to Your Table
For years, Freds was the place to see and be seen inside Barneys New York. The restaurant took its name from Fred Pressman, son of the store's founder, and chef Mark Strausman filled its menu with simple, polished food. His chopped chicken salad became one of the most requested dishes in the room. When Barneys closed its Madison Avenue flagship in 2020, Freds closed with it, so the only way to enjoy this salad now is to make it at home.
The most surprising ingredient is the pear. People have cultivated pears for thousands of years, and their mild sweetness plays beautifully against savory chicken and sharp vinegar. Balsamic vinegar has a long story, too. True balsamic comes from Modena, Italy, where cooked grape must ages in wooden barrels until it turns dark, sweet and complex. Look for the IGP seal on the label; it marks a balsamic vinegar of Modena made to protected standards.
Why Freds' Style Chicken Salad Works
Every bite balances sweet, savory, creamy and crisp. The pear brings sweetness, the chicken brings depth, and the avocado adds richness that softens the vinegar's bite. Meanwhile, the Signature Salad Base of finely chopped lettuce, cabbage and spinach gives the salad structure. Cabbage stays crunchy far longer than lettuce alone, so the greens hold up under the dressing instead of wilting.
The dressing does its own quiet work. Dry mustard helps the oil and vinegar emulsify, so the vinaigrette clings to every leaf instead of pooling in the bottom of the bowl. Finally, rotisserie chicken saves the hours that roasting a whole bird requires. If you prefer to roast your own, try Graniteware Roast Chicken for a classic, self basting bird, or Nesco Upright Roaster Chicken for a faster version with a little heat.
Common Mistakes and Gotchas
A few small habits make the difference between a good salad and a great one.
- Pear browns quickly. Slice it last, or toss the pieces with a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Avocado browns, too. Cut it just before serving.
- Add the oil slowly. Whisk the dry mustard into the vinegar first, then drizzle in the oil a little at a time until the dressing thickens. Pour too fast, and it separates.
- Taste before you season. Rotisserie chicken is often well salted, so the salad may need nothing more.
- Any green beans work. Blanch fresh beans briefly and chill them in ice water; flat Romano beans need a few minutes longer. Drain canned beans well and pat them dry so they do not water down the dressing.
- Take the chill off the chicken. Let refrigerated chicken sit out for about fifteen minutes. Cold chicken tastes flat.
Serving and Storage
Serving
Spread the salad base on a large platter or in a wide bowl, then group each ingredient in its own section around the edge. Pile the chicken in the center and drizzle the vinaigrette over everything just before serving. Next, bring a bowl of shaved Asiago, Romano and Parmesan to the table so everyone can add as much cheese as they like. Sweet peppers add extra color, although they are not part of the original recipe, so use whatever peppers you have on hand. Serve the salad on its own for dinner, or add crusty bread for a heartier meal.
Storing
For the best results, store each component separately. Thanks to the sturdy cabbage, the undressed salad base keeps in the refrigerator for several days. Keep the chicken in a covered container for three to four days, and store the vinaigrette in a jar; simply whisk or shake it again before using. Cut the pear and avocado fresh each time, and avoid storing dressed salad, which turns soggy overnight.
Substitutions
If you really want to make this and don't have fresh green beans or pears are out of season, you can substitute canned green beans and canned pears. Just make sure that they are very cold and completely drained and patted dry.
FAQ
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes. Leftover or store bought rotisserie chicken works beautifully and saves hours of roasting and cooling. Remove the skin if you prefer, and shred or slice the meat into bite size pieces.
What kind of pear works best?
Choose a pear that is ripe but still firm, such as Bartlett or Anjou. A soft pear turns mushy once it meets the dressing, while a firm one holds its shape and adds a gentle crunch.
Can I make this salad ahead?
Yes, in parts. Chop the salad base, prepare the green beans and make the vinaigrette up to a few days ahead. Then cut the pear, tomato and avocado and assemble the salad just before serving.
Step by Step Photos
Freds' Style Chicken Salad Recipe
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Freds' Style Chicken Salad With Balsamic Dressing
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Ingredients
- 1 pound Chicken, Rotisserie cooked
~~ Dressing ~~
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon *dry mustard
- 1/2 cup *olive oil, Extra Virgin
~~ Salad Base ~~
- 1 cup spinach leaves, raw
- 1 cup cabbage, raw
- 1 head lettuce
~~ Salad ~~
- 1 cup pear, cut into pieces
- 1 cup green beans, cooked and cut in 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup tomato, cut
- 1 avocado, cut
- 1 bell pepper, cut or mini peppers
- 2 green onions, chopped (optional)
- Parmesan, shaved for serving
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients. If you have not cooked the green beans, do so now and let them chill. If you are using cherry tomatoes, cut them in half.
- 1 pound ChickenChop or tear the chicken into pieces. You may leave skin on if you wish. Set aside.
Make the dressing
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 1/2 cup olive oilPlace the mustard and vinegar in a medium sized bowl. Use a whisk to mix the two together. Still using the whisk, slowly start adding oil whisking the entire time until the dressing has emulsified. Taste for seasoning and add salt or sugar as desired.
Make the salad base
- 1 cup spinach leaves, 1 head lettuce, 1 cup cabbagePut the spinach, cabbage and lettuce into a bowl. Using a mezzaluna, chop the lettuce into pieces about 1/2 inch each. After the greens are chopped, mix them together.
Assemble the salad
- Put the greens in a large, shallow bowl. As pasta serving bowl is perfect for this.
- 1 cup pear, 1 cup green beans, 1 cup tomato, 1 avocado, 1 bell pepper, 2 green onionsArrange the tomato, pears, avocado, bell pepper and green onion in groups on top of the salad base.
- Put the chicken on top.
- ParmesanServe the salad with the cheese and dressing on the side. Toss at the table.
