Q: Whole Foods Market makes a chicken salad that I absolutely love. Could you persuade them to part with the recipe?

— Megha Young, Duluth A: As you can imagine, at Whole Foods Market they make enough to feed a large crowd. Kudos to Andrew Callender, prepared foods chef, who broke down the recipe to accommodate a home kitchen. This recipe uses a combination of homemade "boiled dressing," mayonnaise and sour cream for its flavor. Use leftover cooked chicken or gently poached organic chicken breasts for optimum flavor. Adjust the amount of dressing to suit your taste.

LOUIE FAVORITE/AJC (ENLARGE)
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— Jeanne Besser, for the Journal-Constitution

MAIN DISH

Classic Chicken Salad

Makes 5 servings

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

For the dressing:

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon powdered mustard

2 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar

3 tablespoons water

1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

2/3 cup canola mayonnaise

For the chicken salad:

4 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken breast

2/3 cup diced celery

1/3 cup dressing

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

To make the dressing: In a bowl, whisk sugar, flour, salt, pepper and mustard. Set aside. In a small saucepan, bring vinegar and water to boil. Very slowly and gradually add the boiled mixture to the egg yolk, stirring constantly, until it is warm to the touch. (If any egg solidifies, pick it out and discard.) Gradually add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, whisking constantly to combine.

Reduce heat to low and pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Stirring constantly, heat the mixture until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not allow it to boil. Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and cool thoroughly. Mixed boiled dressing with mayonnaise.

To make chicken salad: Combine chicken, celery, dressing and sour cream. Add additional dressing, salt and pepper if necessary.

Per serving: 424 calories (46 percent from fat), 52 grams protein, 4 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 21 grams fat, 164 milligrams cholesterol, 805 milligrams sodium.

Is there a restaurant recipe you'd like to make at home? Tell us what you're looking for and perhaps we can help you get it. If we succeed, we'll have the recipe tested and adapted for the home kitchen, if necessary. Because of volume, we can't answer all inquiries. Send your request, along with address and phone number, to: Mail: Betty Parham, Food Department, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 72 Marietta St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303. E-mail: menu@ajc.com. Fax: 404-526-5509.