Curried Chicken Salad
Thanks to a generous forum member, curried chicken salad is now an official Primal recipe! And a delicious one, to boot. It’s the perfect combination of crunch and flavor, using nuts, celery, and a bit of chopped apple for slight sweetness. It’s also a great recipe for the traditional bun-substitute: wrapped in a giant, fresh lettuce leaf.
When I tried this recipe, I found homemade mayonnaise to be best, since even high-quality brands of mayo (even the kind that use Extra Virgin Olive Oil) often still include preservatives, thickeners, and other unpronounceable junk. Try the mayo recipe below or, if you have leftovers, the coconut chive mayo recipe from yesterday’s post would also work nicely. Mustard can also substitute, instead, if you prefer the spice, don’t have time to use the blender, or simply aren’t a fan of mayo.
Give this recipe a try this Labor Day weekend. You, your friends and family (whether Primal or not) won’t be disappointed.
Homemade Mayonnaise
Ingredients:
(adapted from Marian Burros recipe from Pure and Simple)
- 1 egg
- 1 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
Directions:
Blend egg, mustard, pepper and 1/4 cup oil in blender until smooth. Add the rest of the oil and blend again until well mixed. After blending, take off lid and add lemon juice, mixing well with a spatula. Put lid back on and blend again until mixed. Pour into bowl or Mason jar and refrigerate.
The mixture will not be as thick as the chemically produced store-bought brand, but it will mix nicely with the chicken, and the meat will soak up some of the flavors.
Curried Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 pound organic, boneless skinless chicken breast
- 3-4 stalks of celery, sliced lengthwise then chopped
- 1 cup chopped apple
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- 3-4 tablespoons blender homemade Mayonnaise (more if needed)
- Curry powder (lots!)
- Sea salt & pepper to taste
Large fresh leaves of Bibb or other lettuce
Directions:
Slice uncooked chicken breast into long, thin strips, then cut down into 1-inch cubes. Add to skillet with a little bit of water, and cook until just tender and white all the way through. When done, drain and set aside. In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, curry powder, and salt and pepper, adding curry until it reaches your heat level of satisfaction.
In a separate bowl, toss chicken with nuts, celery and apple. Finally, add chicken to wet ingredients and stir it all together. Spoon into lettuce leaves, wrap up, and enjoy.
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Posted By: Mark Sisson
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This sounds amazing! Totally having it this weekend.
A deli near where I live used to make a version of this that was so good, people would drive from miles around just to buy it. I called for slivered almonds instead of walnuts and halved green grapes instead of apples. Fantastic and totally primal! Thanks for the post!
I had all the ingredients on hand, so I just made this and it was delicious!
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I think it’ll taste even better after sitting in the fridge for a while, so I can’t wait to have a second portion tomorrow
I felt it was missing a little something though, so I added some sweet chili sauce.
Thanks for the recipe!
Found my lunch for the week
may I suggest pulled chicken- ie shredded, like in pulled pork? for some reason, I’ve found this keeps the meat tender & helps aborb the flavors best. Curry powder is an excellent addition,
i make this at work(i work in a deli) but use cashews, green and red onions and dried cherries instead of the respective ingredients. ive never had it but we sell A LOT
This sounds so great. I’d add green onions for a little extra snap and pop, but other than that, it looks delish!
Yay for this recipe! I had some delicious curried chicken from a deli up in the Bay Area while on vacation, but haven’t been able to find it any delis near me now that I’m back home. Can’t wait to try making it myself — and the dried cherries idea sounds divine!
I make a chicken salad like this, only I use chopped tomato and cucumber in it, and occasionally toss in nuts and halved red seedless grapes. I don’t like the flavor of mayo in my chicken salad, so I use sour cream instead. A couple tablespoons will blend five servings of chicken salad together nicely!
I’ve made this with yogurt and mayo and like it a little bit better
Tried this today. It was a big hit.
Wow, does this look delish! I can’t wait to make it. Thanks for sharing it!
Made this with shrimpm – yum
Are you not supposed to cook eggs though?
I tried it. It was amazingly delicious. Used chopped almonds rather than walnuts.
I am eating it as I type. I do not have the time to make the mayo so using organic. Did not use enough curry first time so added A LOT more this time around. Very good for breakfast, lunch OR dinner.