Deli-style salads are just the best, aren’t they? My husband’s dream is to have our fridge look like the salad section of the co-op – just dozens of clear containers packed with a variety of salads, ready to take to go, wrap in a tortilla or eat right out of the fridge. In my ideal deli salad refrigerator, there would be at least three varieties of chicken salad, including this one. Mango chutney and curry powder for flavor, crunchy cashews and celery with some sweet and chewy dried cranberries.

A few tips:

• If you like spice, feel free to pick up a spicy curry powder or mango chutney. This chicken salad is great with a little kick.
• I love poaching chicken for chicken salad. The method is simple – just put the chicken in a saucepan. Cover it with water, add a bay leaf, some peppercorns and a sprig of thyme or other herbs. Bring the water to a simmer and cook until the chicken reaches 160 degrees as it will continue to cook when you pull it out of the water. Set aside to cool a bit and then either shred with two forks or chop into pieces. Bonus: strain the leftover broth and use for a light soup!
• When making creamy salads, I often cut the mayo with Greek yogurt to add a tangy flavor (and boost the protein!). In this case, you could use 1/4 cup mayo + 1/4 cup Greek yogurt.
• To serve this chicken salad, either use it to top a bed of lightly dressed greens (olive oil + lemon juice), make croissant sandwiches, wrap in a tortilla or just eat straight from the container.

Mango Chutney & Curry Chicken Salad

Gather this:

• 1 lb cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup mango chutney
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 4 scallions, white and light green parts, chopped
• 1/2 cup roasted cashews, lightly chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• salt & pepper to taste

Do this:

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.