Curried Chicken Salad

*You can use shredded rotisserie chicken or poach your own by following the instructions below.

Poached Chicken:

  • 3 skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts
  • 1 carrot, cut into thirds
  • 1 large onion, peeled and sliced in half
  • 4 cloves of garlic, skins removed
  • 1 T black peppercorns
  • 1 sprig each of fresh thyme, rosemary and sage [or 1 t each of dried herbs]
  • 1 t kosher salt
  • 6 cups of water

Curry Mayonnaise:

  • 2 T of  oil
  • 1/2 an onion, finely chopped
  • 3 T of madras or other good curry powder
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • Juice of one lime
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 3 T of fig preserves or Major Grey’s mango chutney
  • Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Add the chicken, vegetables, garlic, peppercorns, herb and kosher salt to a large soup pot. Pour the water over the ingredients. Cover the pot and heat the liquid to a boil. Skim off any scum that forms. Reduce heat and simmer at very lowest temperature (do not allow to boil again) for about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the chicken to cool in the pot for 40 minutes.  

While the chicken is cooling, heat the 2 T of oil in a skillet over medium low heat.  Add the onion and saute over low heat until soft, 8-10 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook, stirring 3 minutes.  Set aside and allow to cool completely.

When the curried onions have cooled, combine them with the mayo, lime juice, sour cream and preserves or chutney.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir well.

After 40 minutes, remove the chicken from the pot. Strain the remaining liquid through a sieve and you will be left with delicious homemade chicken broth. Remove the chicken skin and pull the meat off the bone. Shred by hand into smaller pieces. Put the shredded chicken into the fridge to cool completely. Once the chicken has cooled, mix with the curry mayonnaise, recipe following.

This is delicious served with cut up red grapes and/or slices of mango and papaya.