Simply the Best Curry Chicken Salad

It's that time of year... the trees are lustrous hues, the air is crisp(er), and the flu is going around like a bad catch phrase. My poor sister is the first in my family to become victim to the flu. Her school kindly said, "thanks, but no thanks" and sent her home. Presently she is quarantined in her room with a hefty supply of tissues and some on-demand movies, waiting for me to come home for the weekend with chicken soup -- my grandma's chicken soup, to be precise.

I don't mean to psych you out, but I'm not giving you the chicken soup recipe. I've been sworn to keep it secret by the powers that be (and the wrath of Flo). BUT what I can do is tell you what to do with the leftover chicken after you've made soup of any sort. Extra chicken that's begot from making stock is a magical thing: flavorful, moist, lean... perfect for chicken salad.

Let me tell you a little bit about this chicken salad:
1) No mayo, no sour cream.
2) There's curry powder in it.
3) It's amazing! You actually feel better after eating it.

Intrigued? Let's get started.

Simply The Best Chicken Salad
3 cups Shredded Chicken
*If you didn't just make soup, you can boil either a whole cut chicken, or just the breasts (if you only like white meat) until cooked.
1/4 cup Roasted Sunflower Seeds (no shell)
1/4 cup Dried Cranberries
1/2 Macoun Apple, diced small
3 tblsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tblsp Curry Powder (I like Red Curry)
Salt and Cracked Black Pepper

1) Mix the above ingredients in a bowl until well incorporated, let sit for 5 minutes for flavor to marry.

2) Enjoy!

Don't you love making salads? So easy! I felt very Emeril, as though I needed a BAM! when I threw my sunflower seeds into the bowl.

I had just came back from the gym, and this is just what the doctor ordered. I got a full serving of fruit (I made a bowl out of the other half of the apple), lean protein, healthy fats (olive oil is SO good for you), and fiber.

And, if that isn't enough to convince you, imagine the savory curry and chicken, combined with the sweet apples and cranberries, and the salt... then there's the crunch from the apples and the sunflower seeds... I can hardly contain myself. It's like a tasty party.

Simply the best.

Sort-of-Dorf Salad (Healthy!)

I love a good Waldorf salad.
I needed a salad to go with the broiled chicken and wild mushroom risotto I made the other night, and a Waldorf salad seemed to be a perfect match.

Hmm, what would I need?
Apples... don't have any.
Walnuts... severely allergic.
Raspberry Jam, YE-, uh, no... no raspberry jam

I had to be resourceful, and the results were phenomenal. I liked this salad better than any Waldorf I've ever had. It was fresh tasting, not too sweet, and complimented my savory dinner perfectly.

Sort-of-Dorf Salad with Apricot Vinaigrette

For the Vinaigrette:
1 tsp. Red Wine Vinegar
2 tsp. Apricot Preserves
2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
1 tblsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1) Whisk ingredients together in a small bowl.
**You can finagle this to suit your own taste. If you think it's too sweet, add a little more mustard. If you think it's too vinegary, add a little more olive oil.

For the Salad:

I used Olivia's Organic mixed greens (which includes: spinach, frisee, radicchio, arugula, and lettuce).

Add: 1/4 cup Shelled Sunflower Seeds (toasted)
1/2 cup Dried Cranberries

Dress and toss with Apricot Vinaigrette to taste.



The sunflower seeds give it a little crunch and a subtle nutty flavor. The dried cranberries are a really nice substitute for apple, because they're sweet and a little sour. The apricot vinaigrette is actually less sweet than a raspberry vinaigrette and has a nice fresh flavor that compliments the rest of the salad nicely.

I'm sure this salad will have a permanent place in my kitchen.