There is one dish that I get asked to make time and time again - my Curry Chicken Salad. It's an old recipe, something ripped out of the pages of Southern Living magazine in the mid 90's, in an article entitled "Try Your Luck at Potluck". It really is great for a crowd, and the recipe makes a lot. If you have a large number of people, it doubles very easily. The raisins are my addition - currants also work well. A few tips:
- Cooking the chicken: the best, most flavorful way is in a large Pyrex pan, filled with boiling water, adding 1 boullion cube, in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes. Otherwise, you can just poach it in a pot on the stove.
- Best made in stages. You can cook the chicken and make the rice the night before, then chop and assemble everything the next day, leaving at least a couple of hours to refrigerate it. Or make the whole thing and refrigerate it overnight.
- Great on its own or served with crackers (I like Triscuits) or pita crisps.
- The amount of curry you use will depend on the strength and freshness of your curry. Hot/spicy and fresh is the best.
(AKA Liz’s Curry Chicken Salad)
2 6 oz Jars marinated artichoke hearts, undrained
1 6.9 oz package Chicken Rice-a-Roni
2 ½ cups chopped cooked chicken
1 6 oz can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 3 oz jar pimiento-stuffed olives, drained and sliced
1 cup chopped green onions
1 cup raisins
1 cup mayonnaise
1 ½ tablespoons curry powder (or more, to taste)
1 teaspoon pepper
- Drain artichoke hearts, reserving marinade. Coarsely chop artichokes.
- Cook rice according to directions; stir in reserved marinade. Cool.
- Combine artichoke hearts, rice mixture, chicken, water chestnuts, olives, green onions and raisins.
- In a separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, curry powder, and pepper. Stir into chicken mixture.
- Cover and chill 1-2 hours.
PHOTO CREDIT: Jill & Shyam - this is Jill eating a bowl of curry chicken salad at our Anniversary Party, 6/14/08.
