Curried Chicken Salad

Posted on July 23, 2009 by kitchenbelle

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As I previously mentioned, I have been in search of low-fuss no-cook appetizers.  There is nothing worse than slaving over a hot oven in the middle of summer!  (That kind of heat makes me grumpy and that is no way to greet guests!)  Again, with the guidance of MyRecipes.com editor Ashley Johnson, I decided to make this curried chicken salad.  Not only was it a success with my guests but I have been eating it for lunch every day! 

Some notes:

–I chose to serve this as an appetizer with pita chips, therefore, it was extremely important that I diced the components of the salad into very small pieces.  I made sure there weren’t any large chunks of chicken that would be larger than the pita chips.  The same for the apple, pineapple, and grapes.  Definitely cut each grape into at least four pieces–possibly even six.  When you are chopping envision each pita chip scooping up some of the salad–if your dices are the right size each bite should contain almost every component of the salad. You would never want one scoop to contain nothing but a giant grape!  On the other hand, if I were serving this in sandwich rolls at a luncheon, it would be okay to leave the components of the salad in larger cubes because in that situation your guests are filling an entire roll.  Make sense?

–I substituted Chobani plain-flavored yogurt in place of mayo.

–Some commenters on MyRecipes.com indicated they used raisins instead of currants.  I suggest sticking to the currants.  They are nice and small and make the salad a little jazzier.

–For the chicken, I grilled fresh cutlets seasoned with salt and pepper and then shredded/diced them up, however, you could use a grocery store rotisserie chicken or even canned water packed chicken (drained) in a pinch. 

–Add the curry powder and then taste.  You may want to add more.

–I think I doubled (or maybe even tripled) this recipe.

Curried Chicken Salad:

  • 1 1/2  cups  chopped cooked chicken breast
  • 1/2  cup  halved seedless red grapes (dice size depends on you want to serve the salad)
  • 1/2  cup  diced peeled unpeeled green apple
  • 2  tablespoons  diced pineapple
  • 1  tablespoon  dried currants
  • 3  tablespoons  plain Chobani yogurt 
  • 1  teaspoon  honey
  • 1/2  teaspoon  curry powder
  • 1/2  teaspoon  fresh lemon juice
  • 1/8  teaspoon  salt
  • 1/8  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

    • Combine chicken, grapes, apple, pineapple, and currants in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine yogurt, honey, curry powder, lemon juice, salt and pepper stirring with a whisk. Pour dressing mixture over chicken mixture; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill.

    j

    Adapted from MyRecipes.com.

    Filed under: Appetizer, apple, chicken, Main Dish, pineapple, salad, sandwich | 5 Comments »

    Portobello “Philly Cheese Steak” Sandwich

    Posted on April 17, 2009 by kitchenbelle

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    I previously mentioned that I researched some Portobello mushroom recipes.  This one appealed to me (A) because I LOVE sandwiches (B) because it reminded me very much of these delicious steak sandwiches  (minus the steak) and (C) because my husband loves peppers and I knew he would really enjoy this meatless version of the classic Philly Cheese Steak. 

    While this is certainly not a replacement for the traditional shaved steak and cheez whiz combo, it is certainly a delicious, satiating, and fun spinoff.  It is an easy weeknight supper.  And nutritionally, the rainbow of peppers score off  the charts for the amounts of nutrients they contain while the meaty Portobellos are an excellent source of the B vitamins (niacin, potassium and selenium).

    I served these with balsamic roasted asparagus and green beans. Delicious!

    Portobello “Philly Cheese Steak” Sandwich:

    • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 medium onion, sliced
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 4 large Portobello mushrooms
    • 1 large red bell pepper, sliced
    • 1 large yellow bell pepper, sliced
    • 1 large orange bell pepper, sliced
    • 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried
    • freshly ground pepper and salt, to taste
    • 1/4 cup vegetable, chicken or beef broth
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 2 thin slices reduced-fat provolone cheese
    • whole-wheat buns, split and toasted

    Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic, mushrooms, bell pepper, oregano and pepper and salt and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are wilted and soft, about 7 minutes.   Stir in broth, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce; bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, lay cheese slices on top of the vegetables, cover and let stand until melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
    Divide the mixture into portions with a spatula, leaving the melted cheese layer on top. Scoop a portion onto each toasted bun and serve immediately.

    p

     

    Adapted from EatingWell.com.

    Filed under: cheese, mushroom, peppers, sandwich | 1 Comment »

    Smothered Steak Sandwiches

    Posted on March 16, 2009 by kitchenbelle

    m

    If you read this blog regularly you know I love sandwiches.  There is something so satisfying about biting into a crusty piece of bread overflowing with meat and veggies.  These steak sandwiches were so delicious and easy to make.  And to top it off, for such a filling meal there are only 330 calories per serving (according to the magazine in which I found the recipe).  

    That’s 330 calories of colorful nutrient packed peppers, lean juicy protein, and crusty bread perfection! 

    Smothered Steak Sandwiches: 

    • 3 bell peppers (colors of your choice, I used 1 orange, 1 yellow, 1 red), sliced
    • 1 medium onion, sliced into circles
    • 1  14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes
    • 1 pound lean steak (cuts such as flank or swiss work well and are reasonably priced)
    • 1 whole wheat whole grain baguette, sliced in half

    Spray a skillet with cooking spray. Place peppers in skillet and cook for about 5 minutes, or until tender.  Add onions and cook until all vegetables are tender and slightly brown, about 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer.  Cook until mixture thickens, about 8 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat.

    Meanwhile, spray a grill pan with cooking spray and set to medium/high heat.   Season both sides of steak with salt and pepper.  Place steak on grill pan and cook until desired doneness (turning once).  Remove from pan, place on cutting board and slice into thin strips (cutting against the grain).

    Place sliced steak on top of baguette and top with pepper and onion mixture.  Serve immediately.

    Adapted from recipe found in Clean Eating magazine March/April issue.

    m

    Filed under: Main Dish, peppers, sandwich, steak | 3 Comments »