Published: April 12, 2024 · Updated: April 13, 2024
Curry Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts
By Heartstone Farm Kitchen
The days are slowly getting warmer here in Maine and after a long winter and rainy spring, we're excited to get outside, get some sun on our faces, and enjoy the fresh air. And that means we'll be taking our meals outdoors as well. Backyard barbecues; picnics in the park; and beach lunches with a view - are in our future. This Curry Chicken Salad recipe, made with Heartstone Farm All-Natural Chicken Breast, is perfect for all these occasions. Bring a platter out to the deck and serve alongside your grilled goodies. Or pack up some up in containers, throw them in the cooler, and take them with you wherever the road leads you. You'll be so excited you took the time to pull this easy recipe together. Your friends and family are going to love it.
The Benefits of Poaching Chicken Breast
We like to poach our chicken breast for this recipe and here's why. The slow simmer keeps the chicken nice and tender, and the aromatics it simmers with bring another layer of flavor to what our customers tell us is the best chicken they've ever had. It's also a healthier way of cooking chicken breast since you don't need to add any oil or butter. We even keep the mayonnaise to a minimum - just 1/4 cup is all you need. Added moisture is achieved with some apple cider vinegar and lemon juice which also give the chicken salad a bit of zing. Add in your curry, grapes and walnuts and you've just weaved in warm spice, a pop of sweetness, and a bit of crunchy texture. Each bites delivers a festival of flavors and colors. It's a meal in itself and scrumptious with a salad or piled high on a nice soft roll.
This is another one of those recipes that taste even better the second day so consider making it a day head of whatever adventure you'll be taking your Curry Chicken Salad on.
Curry Chicken Salad with Grapes & Walnuts
4-6
15 minutes
20 minutes
Indian
chicken
Ingredients
For Poaching the Chicken:
- 2 Heartstone Farm Chicken Breasts (1 package)
- 2-3 slices of lemon
- 1 bay leaf, dry or fresh
- 1 small carrot, sliced or roughly chopped
- 1 stalk of celery, sliced or roughly chopped
- handful of peppercorns (or fresh ground pepper)
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
- Around 3 cups of water (enough to fully cover the chicken breasts)
For Mixing and Garnishing the Curry Chicken Salad:
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tbsp ground curry
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- ½ cup seedless red grapes, thinly sliced
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced, for garnish
Directions
Poach the Chicken Breasts:
Pour water into a pot along with salt, carrot, celery, peppercorns, thyme sprigs and lemon slices
Bring water to a boil then lower to a simmer
Add the chicken breasts to the pot, ensuring they are submerged in liquid (add a little more water if needed)
Simmer the chicken in the poaching liquid with the lid on for 10 minutes then take the pot off the heat and let it sit for another 7-10 minutes covered. The chicken is perfectly cooked at 155°F.
Move the chicken from the pot to a cutting board and discard the poaching liquid
Make the Chicken Salad:
Chop the poached chicken into bite-size pieces
Add the chicken to a bowl and mix in the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, salt and ground curry
Fold in your grapes and walnuts
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary
Sprinkle chopped scallions on top
Serve as-is, over a bed of greens or in a sandwich
