Chicken Salad

We're all familiar with it: cubes of day-old chicken slathered with mayonnaise, maybe a few bits of celery. And...well, yeah--that's really it.

And we are, too, familiar with curry chicken salad, a revamped version of the above. What makes mine better? One, it's made with love; and two, it's healthy. Here's how to do it:

Poach chicken breasts in water with salt and pepper. (Yes, yes, I know that chicken broth may add more flavor. But since this recipe has lots of stuff going on, it's not even worth opening the can.) It'll take around 20-25 minutes or so, depending on how voluptuous your hen was.

As for the rest of the stuff...

The base of the salad is plain non-fat yogurt and mayonnaise, the ratio being about 4:1, respectively. Strain the yogurt in a fine-mesh strainer to make it thicker and creamier. Add red grapes, nuts (I use almonds and cashews, halved. Peanuts would be great, too), thinly sliced red onions, and cucumbers, diced medium. Mince one small clove of garlic and about a teaspoon of fresh ginger and add that to the mix. Be generous with the curry powder; it's mild in this form, and it is, after all, curry chicken salad. Salt and pepper to taste, and a little sprinkling of sugar if you prefer it on the sweeter side.

When the chicken is done, let it sit. Once cool enough to handle, shred the chicken breasts with your fingers to the size you desire. Stir them into the base and seasonings. Serve in lettuce leaves (Bibb works nicely) or in a whole wheat wrap, or on a multi-grain roll.

Happy Eating!