recipe: curried chicken salad with grapes {photo under wraps}

Earlier this month, Jackie Butler, my colleague and mentor, invited me to co-host a luncheon class at her dentist's offices here in Santa Fe. The doctor, who uses essential oils, was in attendance along with the entire office and dental staff.

I enthusiastically accepted and helped by preparing an e~O~delicious lunch. Here is our menu and a quick version of the recipe for the Curried Chicken Salad.

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menu for an office luncheon

Curried Chicken Salad Sandwiches on local artisan bread from Sage Bakehouse with grapes, toasted almonds, and mango chutney~scented with an essential oil blend of clove, cinnamon, peppermint, and rosemary.

Crispy Romaine & Orange Salad with dried cranberries, toasted almonds, and mandarin orange slices with a white balsamic & Wild Orange {essential oil} dressing

Strawberries Dipped in Chocolate enhanced with essential oils~one with Wild Orange and the other with Cinnamon {want the recipe? click here}

recipe

This quick and easy version of my Curried Chicken Salad uses a store-bought roasted chicken and a prepared Mango Chutney; essential oils are added for an extra flavor boost.

Ingredients
Curried Chicken Salad to make 8-10 small-med sized sandwiches

Small store-bought roasted organic chicken

About 1/2 c homemade or good quality mayonnaise {plus a bit more for the sandwich making}

About 1/4 c prepared Mango Chutney

2 - 3 drops of cinnamon, clove essential oil blend {we used doTERRA On Guard}

3 T curry powder or to taste

Sea salt to taste

About 1 c red or green grapes sliced in half

About 1/2 c sliced almonds {toasted and cooled}

Optional pea shoots, sprouts, or spring greens

Instructions

Shred cooled chicken by hand into medium shreds or chunks {using mostly breast meat and some of the firm thigh meat}. Add the shredded meat to a large mixing bowl and set aside.

In a small-medium mixing bowl, add the mayonnaise, curry powder, salt and pepper. Fold and mix with a spoon or rubber spatula until all ingredients are combined.

Scoop out the Mango Chutney into another small mixing bowl. Carefully add {one drop at a time} 2 or 3 drops of the essential oil {blend and taste after each drop is added; it will be strong, but remember, it's being added to a large batch of chicken salad}. 

Combine the chutney mixture with the mayo~curry mixture. Fold and mix with a spoon or rubber spatula, then add to the shredded chicken. Use your spoon or spatula to gently toss and coat the chicken with the chutney~mayo~curry.

Gently toss the grapes and the almonds into the chicken salad. Assemble.

Assemble the sandwiches

We used large slices of bread to make a hearty 1/2-sandwich for each of our luncheon guests.

Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on each slice {bottom & top} of bread. Add a generous portion of chicken salad and any other toppings such as fresh pea shoots {Santa Fe's Susan Higgins, owner of SunGreen Living Foods, grows the world's best pea shoots}, then top with another slice of bread {mayo side down}. Gentle press down on the sandwich and cut in half {cut at a diagonal for presentation}.

Wrapped in food grade parchment and, optionally, tied closed with a piece of twine. {We attached our business cards to the twine closure, hoping we'll hear back from some of them.}