Sweet & Tangy
By Mindy Fox
Raisins, lime, and honey create a sweet-tangy chutney flavor that plays nicely with the curry in this Indian-inspired salad. Whether under a tree in the park or around the table in cooler months, I love to serve this dish picnic-style, with good crackers and little gourmet bites from a cheese shop or olive bar. It’s also tasty stuffed into a whole-wheat pita, or rolled up in crisp lettuce leaves.
Curried Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 cups small shreds roast chicken (from one 3 1/2- to 4-pound bird)
- 4 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 3 1/2 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons mild floral honey
- like orange blossom
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon golden raisins
- 1 box good-quality crackers
- Gourmet bites
Instructions
Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic, and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the curry, salt, and cumin; stir to combine and cook 1 minute more.
Add the chicken and stir to combine. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool for a few minutes, then add the mayonnaise, yogurt, lime juice, and honey; stir to thoroughly combine. Stir in the raisins.
Serve with the crackers and gourmet bites.
A Simple Hunt for Gourmet Bites
Good cheese shops and supermarket olive bars are filled with treasures (sold by the pound or jarred) that can be quickly partnered with a simple chicken salad to create an impressive picnic spread. Look for crackers studded with dried olives of flavorful seeds, like fennel or caraway; stuffed grape leaves; roasted red peppers or sweet-hot peppadews; your favorite olives; and a mix of sweet or spicy pickled okra, green beans, carrots, and beets, and a few cornichons, or kosher dills.
