Internet research points me to one super cute black and white cat named Meemo for creating the Starbucks Tarragon Chicken Salad "copycat" recipe. This recipe duplicates the amazing taste of the tarragon chicken salad you can buy from Starbucks' restaurants.

To me, the finished product is even better than the pricey Starbuck's sandwich and is over the top delicious on homemade bread that's cooled down to a sliceable warm temperature.

You can meet Meemo here:

http://meemoskitchen.blogspot. com/2008/06/starbucks-tarragon -chicken-salad.html

Remember the better the bread you use for this sandwich the better the salad will come out.

STARBUCKS TARRAGON CHICKEN SALAD by Meemo

2 Cups cooked chicken, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes

1/4 Cup dried cranberries, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

Dressing

1/4 Cup mayonnaise

1 Teaspoon dried tarragon (or 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped tarragon)

1 Teaspoon lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix dressing ingredients together. Add cooked chicken, chopped cranberries and chopped celery into bowl and lightly toss to mix. Add dressing and mix well.

Never happy to be satisfied with a recipe when I think I might be able to make it slightly better, I added in one tablespoon of finely minced red onion and 1/4 teaspoon of lemon zest and used cracked pepper and kosher salt.

Even Meemo would have to agree that the red onion gave the salad more character, especially as the flavors blended as it sat in the refrigerator. Add in the zest at the last minute to provide a super fresh taste to the salad. Everyone enjoyed their sandwich so much I decided to put Starbucks Tarragon Chicken Salad into my Saturday lunch rotation.

A few weeks later I baked my chicken breasts early in the day, let them cool and pulled the meat off the bone, cutting it into bite size chunks. I chopped my celery, this time using two stalks since my family loves celery and crunch and I also put in a bit more onion than the time before. Looking for the dried cranberries I realized I was out of them, so I substituted green grapes that I cut in half. Again a wonderful chicken salad was born that I served on toasted multi-grain bread.

Chicken salad has to be addictive. I must make this at least once a month and never tire of the flavors. I have substituted pineapple for the cranberries at times and also added in sliced toasted almonds when the spirit moves me.

Some days I just want the exact taste of Starbucks Tarragon Chicken Salad, and on those days I use Meemo's recipe without any substitutions or additional ingredients because it creates a purr-fect sandwich!

Learn more about this author, Tierney O'Hara.
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