Sunday, December 20, 2009

Light Chicken Salad with Autumn Fruits & Nuts


While I enjoy your standard mayo-drenched chicken salad as much as the next person, I have a tendency not to prepare mine with mayo but with plain yogurt instead (or sometimes a combination of the two). This salad can easily be adapted to whatever fruits and nuts you have on hand.
  • 6-8 oz leftover cooked chicken or turkey, diced or shredded
  • 1 Fuyu persimmon, cored and chopped (substitute apple or pear)
  • 1/2 cup cranberry relish/sauce (not the jellied kind, but with whole cranberries, or sub 1/3 cup dried cranberries soaked in 3 Tbs warm orange or apple juice until plumped)
  • 1/4 cup lightly toasted almond slivers, pistachios or cashews
  • 1 rib celery, chopped
  • 1 scallion, chopped
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 tsp fine prepared mustard
  • 1 tsp fresh grated ginger or 1/4 tsp dried ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground coriander
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients and serve on rolls, sandwich bread or in butter lettuce leaves.