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I can still remember thinking to myself as a young 18-year-old, I don’t want routine. I don’t want predictability, stability, things all planned out. I want to fly. Well I did, and now I landed. And now I like routines. Love them even! Weird how we change. Grow up. Learn new things. I learned I can have routines and not be boring, which was my thought as a young sophomore in college. I like a little structure in my life. Don’t worry I still fly, I just stay closer to the ground. 😉

Speaking of routines, here’s another chicken salad recipe. ha how you like that segue? I have for you what one might think of as an average chicken salad, but it’s not. It’s an outta this world, blow your mind, never even close to being boring curry chicken salad. Roasted curry chicken dressed in lemon curry dijon mayo all tossed with carrots, celery, shallots and raisins. It’s gonna knock your socks off! Well I take that back, I wasn’t actually wearing any socks when I tired this, but the rest I can attest to.

I love this chicken salad for reasons other than its flavor. This recipe is actually inspired by fresh ‘n easy, the grocer down the street. They have the exact chicken salad that converted me from a no-mayo eater to a mayo eater. Well I won’t put mayo itself on a sandwich, but I will eat mayo based things, which is an improvement and as far as I will go. I like this whole mayo eating new self for a multitude of reasons. First off, as a cook, I think I need no be so rigid on such a commonly used condiment. Though it’s not even close to being as good as tzatziki, it lends the creaminess so many of us are seeking, and is an amazing base for tons of sauces.

I roasted the chicken simply because I’m a fan of the flavor, roasted vs. boiled chicken. However you could substitute with boiled chicken that you used to make broth, no problem. If you like your chicken salad more creamy (i.e. more mayo-y) then just add juice from half a lemon.

Shove this sucker into a pita for a light-er lunch, assembly prior to consuming of course, no one likes a soggy pita. I had it on toast and arugula and it was delightful. The sauce from the salad was just enough I didn’t need to butter the bread or dress the arugula.

Give this a try next time you feel the need to break free from the routine 🙂

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Curry Chicken Salad

(makes about 3 servings)

1 chicken breast, skin-on, bone-in (feel free to use, skinless, boneless, or whatever combo you wish)

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 shallot, finely diced

1 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 – 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 – 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 c. curry dressing

salt, sprinkle

pepper, sprinkle

Lemon Curry Dressing

(makes about 1/4 cup, just right for 1 bone-in chicken breast)

~3 tbsp mayo

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1 tsp honey

1 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 – 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 – 1/2 tsp garlic powder

salt, sprinkle

pepper, sprinkle

Preheat the oven to 350°. Season chicken with spices and cover with foil. Roast chicken for 30 mins, then remove foil and turn up heat to 400° for 15-25 mins. Remove from oven and let rest for at least 10 mins. In the meantime, assemble dressing and add veggies and raisins. Once chicken has rested, remove from bone and dice up. I used most of the skin too, but you can leave this part out if you want. Serve in a pita, on toast, on lettuce, or just eat as is!

Enjoy!

~l