Curry Chicken Salad

I've been very clear before about my feelings on mayonnaise.  This has not changed.  This will never change.  Mayonnaise is gross.  Period.

 
Unfortunately, my feelings on mayonnaise don't stop me from liking the idea of foods that are mayonnaise based... potato salad, macaroni salad, spinach dip, tuna salad and chicken salad.  I've been pretty successful in making these recipes by substituting some other ingredient or combination of ingredients for mayo... typically Miracle Whip, sour cream or Greek yogurt... but this adaptation of chicken salad is the most successful so far.

There's some other really great stuff going on in here too - besides the absence of mayonnaise.

The chicken breasts are poached and shredded which keeps the chicken super moist.  Having moist chicken means you can use less of the creamy stuff and still have a chicken salad that is not the least bit dry.

Green peas add some color.  Red grapes add more color and a touch of sweetness.  Salted cashews add some crunch and a salty element.  Greek yogurt and lemon juice give it a tart edge.  But by far, my favorite thing about this chicken salad is the curry powder.  There isn't a ton of it in here but just enough to make it a little different and a lot more interesting.

I made this chicken salad to take on a picnic to Virginia wine country for a couple of friends and everyone else loved it as much as I did.  The four of us may have eaten all six servings... oh well.  Oh, and in case you were wondering, this chicken salad pairs stupendously with a nice, dry Rose.  Particularly when shared with great friends, on a patio, on a beautiful Spring day or overlooking a winery.  I highly recommend doing all those things at once.

Curry Chicken Salad
6 servings

Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts
1/8 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Black Pepper
1/4 cup Green Peas
1/2 cup Red Grapes, halved
1/4 cup roughly chopped Cashews
1/4 cup thinly sliced Green Onions (approx. 3 onions)
1/4 cup Plain, Fat Free Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup Fat Free Sour Cream
2 tsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Curry Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp grated fresh Ginger

Instructions
Place the chicken in a medium saucepan with 1/2 inch of water.  Season with 1/8 tsp Salt & Pepper.  Cover, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Turn off the heat and allow the chicken to cool completely in the covered pot.  Once the chicken is cool, use two forks to shred the chicken in the pot.  Once the chicken is shredded, drain off any excess water.

Place the shredded chicken in a large bowl.  Add all the remaining ingredients and stir until combined.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

The chicken salad can be made a day ahead and refrigerated overnight.


Enjoy!
Julie