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Curried Chicken Salad with Cashews

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on April 9, 2012

Time

55 minutes, plus 30 minutes cooling

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Curried Chicken Salad with Cashews

Ingredients

4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts,no more than 1 inch thick, trimmed1 teaspoon vegetable oil 1 teaspoon curry powder ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 2 celery ribs, minced1 shallot, minced½ cup raw cashews, toasted and chopped coarse⅓ cup golden raisins 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Before You Begin

To ensure that the chicken cooks through, start with cold water in step 1 and don’t use breasts that weigh more than 8 ounces or are thicker than 1 inch. This salad can be served in a sandwich or spooned over leafy greens.

Instructions

  1. Dissolve 2 tablespoons salt in 6 cups cold water in Dutch oven. Submerge chicken in water. Heat pot over medium heat until water registers 170 degrees. Turn off heat, cover pot, and let stand until chicken registers 165 degrees, 15 to 17 minutes.
  2. Transfer chicken to paper towel–lined tray. Refrigerate until chicken is cool, about 30 minutes. While chicken cools, microwave vegetable oil, curry powder, and cayenne, uncovered, until oil is hot, about 30 seconds. Whisk mayonnaise, lime juice, ginger, and curry mixture together in large bowl.
  3. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and cut into ½-inch pieces. Transfer chicken to bowl with mayonnaise mixture. Add celery, shallot, cashews, raisins, and cilantro; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve. (Salad can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
Curried Chicken Salad with Cashews
Photography by Kevin White. Styling by Ashley Moore.

Curried Chicken Salad with Cashews

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

55 minutes, plus 30 minutes cooling

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts,no more than 1 inch thick, trimmed
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon curry powder
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 celery ribs, minced
1 shallot, minced
½ cup raw cashews, toasted and chopped coarse
⅓ cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts,no more than 1 inch thick, trimmed
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon curry powder
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 celery ribs, minced
1 shallot, minced
½ cup raw cashews, toasted and chopped coarse
⅓ cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts,no more than 1 inch thick, trimmed
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon curry powder
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 celery ribs, minced
1 shallot, minced
½ cup raw cashews, toasted and chopped coarse
⅓ cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

With just a few ingredients, this chicken salad quickly packs in boldly spiced flavor to upgrade the traditional cool, tangy mayo. Curry powder, cayenne, lime juice, and ginger mixed in with the mayonnaise transformed the standard chicken salad dressing into a flavor-packed sauce with bright heat. For crunch, celery was a must, and chopped cashews added extra texture and toasted flavor. To balance out the textures, lightly sweet raisins added chewy bite. Shallots and cilantro lent bright freshness to finish off this elevated and elegant chicken salad.

Before You Begin

To ensure that the chicken cooks through, start with cold water in step 1 and don’t use breasts that weigh more than 8 ounces or are thicker than 1 inch. This salad can be served in a sandwich or spooned over leafy greens.

Instructions

  1. Dissolve 2 tablespoons salt in 6 cups cold water in Dutch oven. Submerge chicken in water. Heat pot over medium heat until water registers 170 degrees. Turn off heat, cover pot, and let stand until chicken registers 165 degrees, 15 to 17 minutes.
  2. Transfer chicken to paper towel–lined tray. Refrigerate until chicken is cool, about 30 minutes. While chicken cools, microwave vegetable oil, curry powder, and cayenne, uncovered, until oil is hot, about 30 seconds. Whisk mayonnaise, lime juice, ginger, and curry mixture together in large bowl.
  3. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and cut into ½-inch pieces. Transfer chicken to bowl with mayonnaise mixture. Add celery, shallot, cashews, raisins, and cilantro; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve. (Salad can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

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