Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Chicken Salad - Best Ever

I haven't done a recipe in a long time, since I'm usually on dial-up at the lake which means my hair grows faster than the time it takes to post something. I'm going to tell you how I make an awesome chicken salad. And before you start squawking after reading the list of ingredients, I'll tell you right up front I use curry powder.

Don't be telling me you don't like curry. You can't really identify it in the salad, but it gives it a certain sweetness and je ne sais quoi (well, actually, I do sais the quoi. The quoi is the damn curry.)

Curried Chicken Salad

5-6 chicken breasts (skinned and deboned)
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
1/2 large sweet Vidalia onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries
juice of one lemon
1/2 - 1 cup mayonnaise (Hellman's is the best, and don't be using that low-fat nonsense)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp or more curry powder, to taste (I use more)
1/2 tsp tumeric
salt and pepper to taste

Put the chicken breasts in a large pot and add just enough water to cover. Boil until no longer pink inside (about 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of your breasts....my breasts always take 15 minutes....read into that what you will.)

Remove the chicken and let cool for a few minutes, then chop into small pieces. Discard water or save for soup.

Put the remaining ingredients in a big bowl. Add the chicken and stir it up. Add more mayo if you like it moist. I like it moist. And sometimes I add a bit of vinaigrette if I have any around.

Serve as tortilla wraps or mounded alongside a crisp green salad (as opposed to what, a limp gray one? Seriously, why do people say that. Isn't "crisp and green" a given when talking about salad?) I've even chopped it up super fine, mounded it in tiny croustades, and served them as appetizers.

Chicken salad recipes are so personal (I even had one with fresh pineapple in it...oh, the memories....)

What do you put in yours?

5 comments:

NBB said...

Wow, that reads mouth-watering. I'll try it as soon as possible (only I really have to leave out the curry as I unfortunately get sick from it)

I once did a chicken salad with mango, yoghurt and ribbon noodles.

A Novel Woman said...

Ooh, I love mango. Ribbon noodles? I don't know what they are, but I'd eat 'em.

Laura Bradbury said...

Dear Pam,

Great to see you back, and what a recipe!!! I can't wait to try it. I too only use Hellman's mayo, and I have been enjoying A LOT of it since returning to Canada.

Will I be seeing you at SIWC??? (fingers crossed).

xo Bisous

Laura

A Novel Woman said...

Sheeyah, baby, I'll be there!! Can't wait!!!!!

Debby said...

terragon, grapes, served in a cantalope half.