Recently I posted a recipe and accompanying ‘how-to’ for peach chutney – with cherries and I mentioned that I would be sharing some recipes for using said chutney. The first is chicken salad. Okay so I just heard a collective “ugh” from those of the male persuasion and an “alright” from most of the women. I fully realize that chicken salad is a woman-thing, like quiche or any tea-time sandwich served with the crusts removed.
But perhaps, just maybe, this chutney will change the most ardent “I don’t eaten chicken salad” manly man. That’s because this chicken salad has a definite “kick” – mostly due to the inclusion of the chutney – and a little because of the addition of Balti seasoning, a great curry seasoning from Penzy’s. Since I consider myself a chicken salad connoisseur of sorts, I am proud of this recipe in all its simplicity. This chicken salad is wonderful scooped onto a bed of lettuce, piled high on crusty, toasted bread or tucked inside a pita pocket.
The chicken I used in this recipe is my tea-brined roasted chicken but another option is deboned, rotisserie chicken purchased from your local market or deli or any roasted chicken, actually. I happened to have some luscious purple grapes in my fruit bin, but any seedless variety will taste great. And while I adore Penzy’s Balti Seasoning you can easily substitute your favorite curry powder.
My experience with this recipe is that the flavors are best after being refrigerated for a few hours. I also prefer my chicken salad slightly chunky but feel free to either mince the chicken or only coarsely chop it, as per your own preference.
Looking for more ways to enjoy that peach chutney? Please stay tuned… I’ve only just begun!
Ingredients. No southern-style chicken salad would be ‘right’ without hard boiled eggs.
Mix the mayo, chicken, chutney and eggs together well so that the chutney is distributed throughout the mixture.
Add the Balti (or curry) seasoning and mix well.
Fold in the toasted almonds and the grapes last. Mix gently.
Keeps well for 3 days, covered and refrigerated.
Peachy Curry Chicken Salad with a Kick
2 cups chopped cooked chicken, preferably tea brined
½ cup peach chutney with cherry or your favorite peach chutney
½ scant cup mayonnaise, light or regular
1 tsp. Balti seasoning (or your favorite curry powder to taste)
2 hard cooked eggs, chopped
1/3 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
Scant cup of sliced fresh seedless grapes
Mix chicken, chutney, mayo, eggs and seasoning together in a medium mixing bowl. Carefully fold in the almonds and grapes. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour for flavors to meld. Season with salt to taste if necessary and serve as a sandwich, with crackers or on your favorite salad greens. Makes 4-6 servings.
South by Southeast 
Peach chutney is very versatile. I do a chicken roulade with peach chutney and fresh arugula that is killer. http://remcooks.com/2012/06/17/chicken-roulade-with-peach-chutney-and-arugula/. It goes well with pork and I have been known to use it in paninis. Using it in chicken salad is perfectly normal to me. It’s chutney! Sweet, sour and yours carries a nice little kick. Why wouldn’t you use it in a chicken salad? Count me as one of the menfolk who thinks chutney and chicken salad are GREAT together. Once anyone eats your chicken salad they will realize they made a huge mistake saying Ugh!
Thank you! My husband also has a dislike for mayo (he will not fess up and tell me how that happened…) so he refuses to eat anything with mayo in it (well that he ‘knows’ has mayo in it – I use it all the time and don’t tell him!).
Don’t tell him it’s mayo. Instead, tell him it’s aioli. 😉 When our youngest son “Stinkin Genius” lived at home in high school, I used to take sun dried tomatoes, dice them into small dice, put them in mayo and let the mix sit for 2 days. When I fixed his lunch sandwiches I would tell him it was a tomato aioli. He loved it and it is a great combo. Later he saw me make it and liked that it was so simple. He makes it for his sandwiches to this very day. 🙂
Great thinking Richard! That is creative and I will use it. Dear Hubby also dislikes coconut but I use coconut milk all the time, especially in jasmine rice, which he loves. Thank you for your comments!