Curried Chicken Salad

How we make it.

4 cups rotisserie chicken, chopped
3/4 cups roasted salted cashews, chopped
1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped
1/2 cup celery, diced
1 shallot, minced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Pull white and dark meat of an entire rotisserie chicken, discarding bone and skin. Chop finely and put in a large bowl. Add cashews, cherries, celery and shallots and stir to combine. In a separate small bowl mix mayonnaise and sour cream. Add curry powder, salt and pepper and mix to combine. Pour over chicken until salad is consistently moistened. Refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.

Why we make it.

Chicken salad is one of those things you can make a thousand ways, and I like that because it keeps things interesting. Easy, delicious protein in the fridge keeps me out of the pretzels at noon, and this curried version is exceptionally good. If you're going to make a chicken salad I highly recommend starting with a rotisserie chicken. Roasted chicken is like pumpkin pie, it's just always going to be better store bought. It's also fun to rip into shreds. The addition of cashews and cherries is a fruit and nut curveball from the traditional grapes and walnuts and goes very well with the warm curry spice. This chicken salad is no harder to make than any other and is a real treat for the senses. Warm, savory and inviting. It's a great change up from the boring stuff. That's why we make it.