Rick's Curried Chicken Salad

This is one of my favorite “main dish” salads.  It’s really easy to make and keeps well in the fridge for lunch or dinner  You can add all different kinds of nuts,  raisins, apple, diced mango, Mandarin oranges, dates and other dried fruits to make it your own.  I just made a big batch for Ruth to take to her garden club meeting with the girls.  Enjoy!

Ingredients: Serves 6-8 people

5 chicken breasts, skinned, boned roasted and diced
1 medium Vidalia onion, diced
5 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 large apple, peeled and diced
1 Cup of raisins
10-15 green seedless grapes, cut in half
1/2 Cup shelled walnuts or almonds
1 Cup. Mayonnaise, more if you like a creamier salad
2 Tbsp. mild curry powder, more if you like it spicier
1 Tbs prepared yellow mustard
3 Tbs honey
1 tsp Sesame oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Garnish with mint or sliced green onions

Directions:

Place the chicken breasts on a oiled baking sheet and sprinkle with Kosher salt and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper.  Bake the chicken in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes until cooked through.  Remove the chicken from the oven and place in the refrigerator to cool for about an hour. Cut into 1” chunks

Peel and dice the apple, sprinkling it with lemon juice to keep it from turning brown.

Place the chicken, diced vegetables, raisins, nuts, etc. in a large bowl.  Mix together the Mayonnaise, mustard, honey and curry powder with a whisk or in a food processor until smooth.

A small amount of toasted sesame oil really adds complexity to the dish.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and other ingredients and mix well.

Season with a little Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.  The add-ins are merely a guideline and can be changed to your liking.

Enjoy!