It’s summer! (Okay, almost) but it is definitely picnic season! We love picnics! We haven’t found our picnic spot here yet but … actively searching. At any rate, this is an awesome part of such an outing. The dressing does call for a dairy product, but I somehow feel better about using that than, say, mayo which is bad to begin with, never mind how quickly it can turn rancid (sorry, my mayo-loving friends. I just can’t). But this is a happy medium: creamy without being over-the-top, and super versatile: you can add pretty much any veg you like. I made this once with equal parts roasted carrots and chicken and it was super yummy. If you don’t like celery, use something else crunchy. And if you want to reduce the oniony-bite but still want the flavor, soak the chopped onion in a bit of water before adding them to the bowl.

One last thought: if you can, find cornichon. I know Trader Joe’s has a decent version. Cornichon are so so much better than regular pickles, not just here but in pretty much every capacity. Yes, you can sub in regular small pickles but it just isn’t the same.

Chicken Salad with Hummus-Yogurt Dressing Serving Size: 6 Summary: Two Middle Eastern staples make one great dressing. Original recipe calls for potatoes. Tasty, too. Ingredients: - 2 whole chicken breasts, cooked, cubed into 1-inch pieces - 1/2 cup hummus (plain or whatever flavor is your favorite) - 3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt (Greek is really good, but regular is fine, too) - 1 cup finely diced celery - 1/4 cup finely diced cornichons - 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley - 3 tablespoons finely diced sweet onion - Salt and freshly ground pepper Directions: 1. In a large bowl, mix the hummus with the yogurt, celery, cornichons, parsley and onion. Fold in the chicken, season with salt and pepper and serve. Notes: Make Ahead The finished salad can be refrigerated overnight.