Melissa Joulwan

Curry Chicken-Salad Salad

So Nice, say it Twice

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Preparation info

  • Difficulty

    Medium

  • Serves

    2–4

Appears in

Well Fed Weeknights: Complete Paleo Meals in 45 Minutes or Less

Well Fed Weeknights

By Melissa Joulwan

Published 2016

  • About

In the years since I started eating paleo, I’ve learned that paleo-friendly food that’s worth eating can be found in some surprising places. Everyone told us when we moved to Vermont, “Go to the café at King Arthur Flour!” I was skeptical; What could I possibly eat at a shrine to bread and cookies? The answer was a bright, fresh, protein-packed salad with plenty of spice and contrasting textures. This recipe is a love note to keeping an open mind.

Total time: 40–45 minutes

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4–6 ounces each)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Mayo

  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1¼ cups light-tasting olive or avocado oil
  • ½ teaspoon mustard powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Dressing

  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon ghee or coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon powdered ginger
  • ½ lime

Fruit & Nuts

  • ¼ cup sliced almonds
  • ¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 Granny Smith apple
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 2 stalks celery
  • ⅓ cup golden raisins

Salad Bed

  • 2 large carrots
  • 1 head Boston or butter lettuce
  • 1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach
  • ½ lime
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

Tools

  • pint-size Mason jar, stick blender

Method

Cook the chicken

Smash and peel the garlic cloves and place them in a large saucepan. Add the chicken, water, bay leaf, salt, and peppercorns. Cover and simmer on low, 15–20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the chicken sit in the hot water while you prep the salad.

Make the mayo

Place all the mayo ingredients in a pint-size Mason jar. Insert the stick blender and whirl until it’s emulsified.

Make the dressing

Peel and crush the garlic cloves and place in a small, microwave safe bowl. Add the ghee, curry powder, cumin, coriander, salt, and ginger; microwave on 80 percent power until the oil is hot, about 20 seconds. In a medium bowl, gently whisk together ⅓ cup of the homemade mayo, the juice of the ½ lime, and the curry oil until smooth.

Prep the fruit and nuts

Place the almonds and coconut in a dry, nonstick skillet and toast them over medium-high heat until golden, 3–4 minutes; transfer to a large mixing bowl. Peel and dice the apple, chop the cilantro, slice the celery and scallions; add them all to the mixing bowl. Add the raisins and toss with two wooden spoons to mix.

Finish the chicken

Remove the chicken from the hot water and place it in a shallow bowl in the freezer until it’s cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Cut the chicken into ½-inch cubes and add them to the bowl with the nuts and raisins. Add the dressing and toss to combine.

Make the salad bed

Wash the carrots and use a vegetable peeler to cut them into ribbons; place in a large mixing bowl. Tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces and add it to the bowl, along with the spinach. Add the juice of the ½ lime, olive oil, salt, and pepper; toss well.

To serve

Place salad greens on serving plates and top with chicken salad.

© 2016 All rights reserved. Published by Smudge.