Curried Chicken Salad

Last Year's Post: Leek, Bacon and Gruyere Tart
Two Years Ago:  Spanish Asparagus Revuelto

Curried chicken salad was all the rage in the 80's and 90's, but then it went away for a while.  The Lawyer, who I don't think had ever tried it before, had a curried chicken salad sandwich at a restaurant recently and was raving about how good it was so I was inspired to make it this week.  Ina Garten has a classic recipe which I tweaked only slightly, primarily by substituting toasted slivered almonds for the whole cashews that she calls for.  I love cashews, but I wanted to serve the salad in sandwiches and felt the cashews would be too big.  If I made the salad and added pasta shells for a main dish I would probably use cashews instead.  I also cut down on the amount of salt she called for because I find her recipes always have too much salt.  Better to add more later if needed.

There's a reason curried chicken salad was all the rage - it's really that good, not to mention easy.  The creamy curry dressing is offset by the sweetness of the raisins and crunch from celery and nuts for a salad that's just addictive.  Serve it over green for a light lunch, stuff it in multi-grain bread for a sandwich as I did (yes there really is a piece of bread under the salad in the picture above), or add a small-sized pasta such as shells to make it a more substantial main dish salad.  However you serve it, it's the perfect salad for the first picnic of spring.

Just be sure to wait to add the nuts until right before serving so they stay crisp and crunchy.

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Curried Chicken Salad

Serves 6

Note: the salad can be served over lettuce, or in sandwiches, or small pasta may be added (such as shells) for a more substantial main dish.

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, baked or poached (or equivalent rotisserie chicken meat)

¾ cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons dry white wine

2 tablespoons Major Grey’s chutney

1 ½ tablespoons curry powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup medium-diced celery (1 large stalk)

2 green onions, which and light green parts thinly sliced

¼ cup raisins

½ cup slivered almonds, toasted

Cut the cooked chicken breasts into approximate ¾” bite-sized pieces.

For the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, wine, chutney, curry powder, and salt in a food processor and process until smooth.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

Combine the chicken with enough dressing to moisten well (you may have some left over; refrigerate for later).  Add the celery, green onions and raising and mix well.  Refrigerate, covered, for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend.

Before serving, taste and adjust seasonings again if needed; add a little more dressing if the salad looks dry.  Top with toasted almonds and serve.

Broccoli Cheese Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Last Year's Post: Chicken with Caramelized Onion and Cardamom Rice
Two Years Ago:   Mustard Swordfish Kebabs

I should state right up front that The Lawyer and I don't really care for sweet potatoes, having first encountered them in the ever-popular brown-sugar-and-mini-marshmallow baked casserole.  Having said that, we're trying to eat healthy and more vegetarian entrees so I decided to push the envelope a little.  Many stuffed sweet potato recipes use whole black beans as the major part of the stuffing.  The combination of a soft potato with soft beans seemed unappealing to me - it needed some crunch.  This recipe combines crisp-tender broccoli with a healthy sauce made from pureed white beans and a small amount of cheddar cheese, which lends protein and creaminess to the stuffing without the fat and calories of a normal cheese sauce.  And it worked!  Sprinkle a little extra cheese on top and pop the potatoes back in the oven to heat the stuffing, melt the cheese, and crisp the edges of the potato skin.  Dollop on a little sour cream or Greek yogurt, garnish with some green onions, and you've got a delicious vegetarian entree.  This whole sweet potato thing might just work out after all.

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Broccoli Cheese Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Serves 4

4 large sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Your favorite spice blend for vegetables, optional

1 head broccoli

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pinch red pepper flakes

15-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed

¾ cup water

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt

Sliced green onions, for garnish

Preheat oven to 450d.

Wash and scrub the sweet potatoes; pat dry.  Prick all over with a fork.  Use 1 tablespoon of olive oil to rub the outside of the sweet potatoes.  Place them in the oven directly on the oven rack and roast for 50 minutes, or until tender.

Meanwhile, cut the broccoli into small florets.  Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet and then add the garlic.  Stir for 20-30 seconds, then add the broccoli, pinch of red pepper, and a few pinches of salt.  Sauté until the broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender, 5-7 minutes. Set aside.

In the bowl of a food process, blend the beans, 3/4 cup water, ½ cup shredded cheese, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt until smooth.  Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.  In a medium bowl, combine the cheese sauce with the broccoli.

When the potatoes are done, remove them from the oven and cut open down the center.  Remove some of the flesh from the middle, then sprinkle the inside of each potato with salt and pepper or your favorite vegetable seasoning.  Divide the cheese and broccoli mixture between the potatoes.  Top with the rest of the shredded cheese, then place the potatoes back in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese is melted.  Top with sour cream or yogurt and green onions and serve.

Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken and Brown Rice Bowls

Last Year's Post: Benedictine Sandwiches
Two Years Ago:  Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I have a thing about chicken thighs.  I know they're more moist and flavorful than chicken breasts, but they also have all those ligament and tendon things that make them more difficult to eat, not to mention disgusting.  My solution is the slow cooker, which causes all that icky stuff to go away and leaves beautiful moist and fall-apart tender chicken in its place.

I recently came across a recipe for slow cooker salsa verde chicken and was attracted to it because I have a favorite recipe for salsa verde that I like to make.  I think it tastes fresher than the jarred version and I can control the sodium, but you could use your favorite brand if you prefer.  I thought of using the salsa verde chicken as a springboard to make brown rice bowls.

In addition to the chicken and rice, I added spinach for nutrition, shredded red cabbage for crunch and color, cherry tomatoes for juicy sweetness, freeze-dried corn for crunch and color (found in the produce section of most stores), and sour cream for a touch of creaminess.  Obviously you can vary the ingredients to your liking - you could add shredded cheese, pepitas, or different vegetables such as radishes. You could also use white rice in place of brown rice if you prefer.  You could even eliminate the salsa verde chicken and substitute black beans to make a vegetarian version.  Just try to add different colors and textures for the most interesting and pretty combination.  Colorful food is more attractive, which means your picky eaters are more likely to try it.

This recipe serves 6 people, but it also works well for two people: dinner tonight, two work lunches later in the week, and one dinner in the freezer for a future hectic day.

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Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken and Brown Rice Bowls

Serves 6

For the chicken:

6 boneless skinless chicken thighs

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 (16 oz) jar salsa verde (or homemade)

For the bowls:

1 cup uncooked brown rice

1 ¾ cups water or low-sodium chicken broth

Your favorite southwest spice blend, to taste

6 cups baby spinach

1 ½ cups finely shredded red cabbage

1 ½ cups freeze-dried corn

2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

1 ½ cups sour cream or Mexican crema

Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Lime wedges, for garnish

Trim the chicken thighs of any excess fat; rinse and pat dry.  Season both sides lightly with salt and pepper and place in a slow cooker in a single layer.  Pour in the salsa verde to cover the chicken evenly.  Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 3.5 to 4 hours on high, or 5 to 6 hours on low.  Uncover and shred the chicken using two forks.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

During the last hour the chicken is cooking, prepare the rice; place water or chicken broth in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Add 1-2 teaspoons of your favorite southwest seasoning (depending on your preference and the spice level of the blend) and the rice and stir.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Cook for 45-50 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.

To assemble the bowls, place 1 cup of baby spinach in each of six shallow bowls.  Divide the chicken and sauce between bowls, then add the rice, cabbage, corn, and cherry tomatoes decoratively.  Dollop the sour cream (or drizzle the crema) and add cilantro sprigs and lime wedges for garnish.

Salmon Orzo Salad with Lemon and Pea Pods

Last Year's Post: Manchego Cheese Quesadilla with Pepper Jam
Two Years Ago:   Prosciutto, Mozzarella and Radicchio Panini

Hello, springtime!  OK, it might not exactly feel like spring where you live, but it's definitely April and that means flowers are right around the corner followed closely by shorts and swimsuits.  Time to put away the lasagna pan and lighten up.  Nothing says spring more to me than lemon, peas and radishes in a light salad with heart-healthy salmon.  If orzo isn't your thing you could substitute rice, quinoa, farro or even a bunch of greens instead.

The reason the recipe calls for pan-searing the salmon is because I like the crispy top crust both for color and texture in the salad.  If you prefer to grill or roast the salmon it would be just as good.

The question has come up (at least in my mind) whether this salad could be made in advance and served cold.  The answer is yes  - I had some salad left over that was just as good the next day, although the orzo absorbed the dressing so it needed some freshening with a squeeze of lemon and a few additional dill sprigs.

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Salmon Orzo Salad with Lemon and Pea Pods

Serves 4

½ lb. fresh salmon filet

1 tablespoon soy sauce

8 ounces orzo pasta

1 cup snow peas, ends trimmed and cut in half

½ cup frozen peas

1/8 cup shallot, minced

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 ½ teaspoons apple cider or white vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped

¼ cup radishes, thinly sliced

½ cup radish sprouts

¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted

Fresh dill sprigs, for garnish

Lemon wedges, for garnish

Rub the salmon with the soy sauce and marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for one hour.  Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the salmon, skin side down, to the dry skillet and cook untouched for two minutes.  Carefully turn the salmon over and lower the heat to medium.  Cook an additional 2 minutes, peel the skin off the salmon and flip over.  Lower the heat to medium-low and cover; cook for an additional 5-6 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 145d.  Cool completely. Break into pieces.

Heat a large pot of salted water. Cook orzo as directed on package to desired doneness, adding pea pods and frozen peas during last 30 seconds of cooking. Drain pasta and peas; rinse in cold water.

In a small bowl, whisk shallot, dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in the olive oil.

In large bowl, toss orzo, pea pods, peas, spinach, radishes and radish sprouts with vinaigrette until coated. Add salmon and toss gently to combine.  Serve, sprinkled with almonds and garnished with dill sprigs and lemon wedges.