The Flexitarian Cook

I know. Chicken salad is one of those dishes that has entered the realm of “thanks, but no thanks” in most people’s repertoire of things they’re willing to eat. Who can blame them, really? Walk into most delis and you’re likely to be faced with chicken bits drowned in mayo. Period. Spices? Diced veggies or anything else? Unlikely. The name of the game seems to be “how can we siphon the taste out of this chicken?” Winner gets a trip to the ER, courtesy of Hellman’s.

Yet the idea of a really good chicken salad, with a variety of textures and tastes, has not quite died yet. I think most of us would really like to eat a salad that is healthy (given the low fat content of chicken breast), easy to prepare, makes a killer sandwich, and is sure to be the envy of our co-workers when high noon comes a-ringin’.

Let’s first address the issue of the dressing. This is where much of the problem in store-bought chicken salad resides. It’s pretty much all mayonnaise straight from the jar, with little else to either lighten it up or give it flavor. I propose to do both, by combining equal parts mayo and low-fat yogurt, and by adding a little bit of curry to the mix. Curry and yogurt were meant to be together, in one of those long and happy culinary marriages that is the envy of most ingredients.

Next, the main character itself. I went out and bought skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, but if you have some leftover roasted chicken, please use that. I poached the chicken breasts in boiling salted water with a bouquet garni (a mix of several herbs) for about 10-15 mn, being careful not to overcook them. They came out moist and succulent.

Now for the add-ins. Let your imagination guide you, but here are my recommendations: a crunchy vegetable, a dried fruit, and some nuts. The sweetness of the fruit mellows the tartness of the yogurt, and the crunchy vegetable and nuts add texture and contrast to a salad that would otherwise be mushy. I used celery for the vegetable, but finely diced carrots would work well too. Pecans are really great here, but walnuts would be perfectly acceptable, or even pine nuts. Dried cranberries were my fruit of choice this time (I put them into everything these days), but I think dried apricots would be fabulous, and of course, golden raisins.

Curried Chicken Salad with Cranberries and Pecans

1 lb chicken breast
1 bouquet garni (a few sprigs each thyme and parsley and 2 bay leaves, all tied together)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup lowfat yogurt
1/2 to 1 tsp curry powder
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 small shallot, finely diced
1/3 cup each chopped pecans and dried cranberries (or other fruit & nut combination)
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro or herb of your choice (parsley, chives,
ground pepper to taste

Boil water in a pan with salt, peppercorns and bouquet garni. Place chicken in boiling water and let it simmer on medium-low heat for 10 to 15 min, depending on the size of the breasts. Make sure you check that the chicken is done: it should be moist, but there should be no pink left at all, or any translucent meat. Remove from water when done. Bring the chicken to room temperature and dice into 1/4″ to 1/2″ pieces.

Whisk together the yogurt, mayo and curry powder, and add remaining ingredients. Add chicken and mix well. Let the flavors blend in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving.

This was my sandwich for lunch today, before the top went on. Whole grain roll and arugula are the best accompaniment to this salad.

Tags: celery, chicken, cranberries, nuts, salad, sandwich

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