This no-cook summer salad might be a slight misnomer—the no-cook part—it’s just that you don’t have to cook anything. If you pick up a roast chicken from the market, you are all set to put this yummy and refreshing chicken salad together.
I prefer the white meat of the chicken, so I remove that and save the rest of the chicken for another meal. (If you prefer dark meat, add some to the white meat.) Sometimes I’ll change up the nuts and use almonds or walnuts. Whatever you choose, toast them for a few minutes in a skillet on top of the stove to bring out their inherent nuttiness. You can also use candied nuts if you like extra sweetness. The salad is easily customizable.
What makes this a summer salad is the inclusion of seasonal, colorful apricots, peaches and pitted cherries. Don’t bother peeling them. The skin gives the salad a rustic touch. I also like to add a bit of raw yellow or white corn, shucked right off the cob for an extra hit of chewy sweetness.
I used curry powder for this recipe from Morton & Bassett, which you can find on Amazon. If you like extra spice, sprinkle some cayenne pepper into the mayonnaise.
This is a savory and sweet salad with the addition of the fresh herbs. I like to present it on a platter lined with mixed greens. Spoon the salad on top and garnish with fresh herbs. For a total no-cook meal, you could start the meal with a cucumber avocado soup. I like to serve a sliced baguette to accompany the salad. To drink? I’d go with a dry rose, viognier or chardonnay.
Curried Summer Fruit Chicken Salad
Serves 6
- 1 (4- to 5-pound) whole rotisserie chicken, cooled and skin removed, breast meat only.
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted or candied pecans
- 3 ribs diced celery
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
- 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
- 1 medium peach or nectarine, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 apricot or plum, pitted and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 12 cherries, pitted and halved
- 1 ear of fresh corn, shucked (about 1/2 cup), optional
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon plus1 teaspoon good quality curry powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Mixed greens for serving
- Parsley or chives, for garnish
1. Remove the breast meat and reserve remaining chicken for other uses. Cut the chicken breast into bite-size pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the pecans, celery and chives and parsley to the bowl and toss to combine. Carefully fold in the fruit and optional corn, making sure the fruit stays intact.
3. In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, curry powder salt and pepper in a small bowl and mix to blend the ingredients evenly. Add the mayonnaise to the chicken mixture and mix to coat all the ingredients. Taste for seasoning.
4. Arrange mixed greens on a serving platter and mound chicken salad on top. Garnish with parsley or chives and serve.
Dear Readers: We would love to hear from you. What topics would you like to read about? Please send your feedback and tips to [email protected].
