This post is sponsored via my partnership with Perdue Farms. If you don’t start with the best ingredients, you won’t get the most delicious outcome.
3 generations – none of us great cooks (& OMG my hair)
Curried Chicken Salad – my history
I grew up in a household that never used spices outside of
- salt
- pepper
- onion powder
- garlic
- and once in a while, a shake of tarragon
My mother wasn’t a very adventurous cook (or maybe we just weren’t adventurous eaters and she knew that she didn’t want us turning our noses up at something different).
We were that family that went out to dinner – A LOT. While some of the restaurants and days of the week changed, we could always count on Friday night’s at Cathay Terrace with a pu pu platter in the center of the table, fire blazing. There was a lot of takeout and the weekend’s meant a drive to Caserta Pizza on Federal Hill (in Providence). I knew that I could always count on a stop at Davis’ Deli on the East Side for bagels, lox and whitefish for Sunday morning breakfast at home and once in a while we’d get to have Hot Weiners from the NY System in Olneyville Square (with coffee milk of course).
It’s odd that I don’t have memories of cooking with my mother (although my maternal grandfather owned a restaurant and my paternal grandmother was the consummate Jewish cook). It wasn’t until I married my chef/restauranteur husband that I even attempted anything in the kitchen.
Back to the curry
The first time I tried curry was in my husband’s restaurant. The curried chicken salad was a mainstay on the menu at 3 Steeple Street and it became one of my favorites. It still is.
This week I made a delicious Perdue Farms roast chicken and after two meals, there was a tiny bit left on the bone. I picked it off, and it was JUST ENOUGH for me to make a quick chicken salad to toss over some lettuce.
I start with leftover chicken
I love being able to make chicken salad for one. I can make the basic salad for my husband (which I did) and then take a scoop out and add what I love. This week because we are in lockdown, I used what was in the house.
Just like regular chicken salad I add mayo and celery, salt & pepper
Curried Chicken Salad for one
Chop some walnuts
- Leftover Perdue Farms chicken – I prefer it torn and not cubed, but do what you love
- Mayonaise – again, brands and amount is always a personal preference
- Chopped celery
- Salt & Pepper (I stopped at this point and scooped some out for Mr. S who didn’t want curry)
- A handful of chopped walnuts (again, these were the only nuts I had in the house)
- A handful of raisins (I substituted these for the grapes that I usually use)
- Curry powder to taste
Toss in raisins
Mix them all together and enjoy on a salad or sandwich.
I would normally mix the curry with the mayo, but I had to separate hubby’s salad from mine.
The beauty of making this or any salad is that you can substitute the ingredients you love. If I’d had grapes in the house, I might have switched the raisins out. If there had been cashews or almonds, I’d have left out the walnuts. No celery? That’s okay.
I’ve made it with honey and lemon and other times I’ll mix white wine into the mayonnaise.
Bon Appetit
I’d love to hear what you make with your leftover Perdue Farms chicken.
- To order from Perdue Farms go to https://perduefarms.com/champagneliving
By using the above link you’ll get an extra 15% off and free shipping when you order $119 or more.
Bon Appetit!
