Hot Dates

I have recently discovered dates (as in the fruit) and I am obsessed! If you've never had a date, you've got to try them! They are sweet, like raisins, and have a yummy, chewy texture. I've even been eating them plain, that's how much I like them! There are several varieties of dates, but the Medjool is the most common and can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores. (Those are Medjool dates in my picture below.) So I went searching for some recipes that included dates. When I found one for chicken salad, I had to try it!

Chicken salad has always been one of my favorite foods! Normally I just cook chicken in the crock pot all day (or buy a rotisserie chicken) and mix the shredded chicken with mayonnaise and some salt and pepper. Occasionally, I will add some pecans, apples, or grapes. So, when I stumbled upon this recipe for Curry Chicken Salad, I was really curious to try it out (especially since it had dates in it)!

Curry Chicken Salad


Ingredients:


4 chicken breasts, baked and shredded (or shredded rotisserie chicken)
Mayonnaise (amount depends on desired consistency)
5 Medjool dates, diced
3/4 cup pistachios
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:


1. Shell pistachios. Slice open dates and remove pits before dicing. Combine all ingredients and add mayonnaise until salad reaches desired consistency.
2. Serve on a bed of lettuce, or in a sandwich or wrap.

Alissa's notes: I browned the chicken breasts in my Le Creuset casserole on the stovetop and then finished baking them, covered, in the oven. I seasoned the chicken with a little minced onion, salt and pepper.  If you don't want to try dates, raisins can be used instead (which I have done and it tastes good that way, too). If you are a big fan of chicken salad with grapes and nuts, you will LOVE this recipe! Also, if you don't like curry, you can omit that seasoning. I made Stovetop Simmered Maple Beans to go along with the chicken salad wraps. Send me a message or comment if you are interested in trying that recipe.