Creamy Chicken Salad with Celery, Lemon and Herbs

Gently Poach the Chicken. Place the chicken breasts in the saucepan with the cold water, salt, bay leaves and peppercorns, then set it over medium heat until the water reaches 75-80°C — you'll see small bubbles forming at the edge of the pan but no full boil. Turn the heat to its lowest setting, cover, and poach for 15-20 minutes until a probe thermometer reads 74°C in the thickest part of the breast, the point at which chicken is safely cooked through. Keeping the water gentle rather than boiling is what keeps the meat juicy, since a hard boil tightens the muscle fibres and squeezes out moisture.

Cool and Shred the Chicken. After poaching, lift the chicken onto a board and let it rest for 15 minutes; this resting time lets the juices settle back through the meat instead of running out as soon as you cut it. Once it's cool enough to handle, pull or chop it into 1-2 cm pieces that hold their shape nicely in the finished salad rather than disappearing into shreds.

Make the Dressing. In the large bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, soured cream or yoghurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper until smooth. The soured cream loosens the mayonnaise slightly and adds a gentle tang, while the zest carries more of the lemon's aroma than the juice alone.

Fold Everything Together. Add the chopped chicken, celery, spring onion and herbs to the dressing and fold gently until everything is evenly coated. The celery and spring onion add crunch and a fresh, slightly peppery bite that balances the richness of the mayonnaise.

Chill Before Serving. Cover and chill the salad for at least 1 hour, which gives the lemon and herbs time to settle into the dressing rather than tasting sharp and separate. It will keep well covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Taste once more before serving and add a little extra lemon juice if it needs lifting, then pile onto the lettuce leaves to serve.