Curried Chicken Salad

We love chicken salad and it makes a great lunch especially when we have company. We have our standard chicken salad which has it's roots in my mother's chicken salad. That is often served for a ladies lunch at Linderhof.

But sometimes I like to "shake" things up and do a "twist" on the old classic. The easiest "twist" is to make it into a curried chicken salad.

This recipe is from my favorite, Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa and I've made it more than just this once. It does have a nice "punch" of curry and being a fan of curry, I like the flavor. If you're a bit more timid, start with less curry powder for you can always add until it's the way you like it. My curry comes form Penzeys -- it has the best curry powder that I've ever tasted.

It's a pretty salad, with celery, green onion, raisins (I used golden this time and I forgot that they get lost in the curry), and, just before serving, cashews.

There is nothing better for a ladies luncheon than chicken salad and my guests this week agreed -- this version was rated an "A"!

Curried Chicken Salad

(From The Barefoot Contessa)

3 split (1 1/2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 cups good mayonnaise

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup Major Gray's chutney

3 T. curry powder

1 cup medium diced celery(2 large stalks)

1/4 cup chopped scallions, white and green part (2 scallions)

1/4 cup grapes (sliced in half)

1 cup whole roasted salted cashews, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350. Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. If you are using boneless breasts, salt and pepper them, and put them on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until they are cooked through.

Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin and shred the chicken in pieces. For the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, wine, chutney, curry powder and 3/4 t. salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until smooth. Combine the chicken with enough dressing to moisten well. Add the celery, scallions and grapes and mix well. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Add the cashews to the chicken just before serving.

It's Friday which means that it's time for Foodie Friday so join Michael at Designs by Gollum to see what everyone has fixed for this Friday.