Mayo-Free Chicken Curry Salad

Chicken curry salad is one of my favorite salads.  I first discovered this salad at Urth Caffe on Melrose when I moved to LA about 12 years ago.  I have been wanting to recreate this dish for awhile now.  It wasn't until I returned from a rejuvenating yoga retreat in Costa Rica this past summer that I finally felt inspired to make it myself.  The yoga retreat provided us with all of our meals during our stay.  AND they were all healthy, gourmet dishes!  For lunch one day, we had a chicken salad that was made with greek yogurt and avocado instead of mayo.  It was SO delicious that I had to create a version of my own.  I hope you like it!

MAYO-FREE CHICKEN CURRY SALAD (Serves 4)

Ingredients

·      2 cups cooked chicken breast, cut into cubes

·      ¼ cup finely diced red onion

·      ¼ cup thinly sliced scallions

·      1/3 cup golden raisins

·      ½ cup celery, vertically halved and then diced

·      ½ cup sliced red grapes

·      ½ cup of greek yogurt

·      1 avocado

·      3 tbsp lemon juice

·      1 tbsp olive oil

·      2 tsp honey

·      1 tsp salt

·      1 tbsp curry powder

·      dash of pepper

Directions

In a large bowl, mix chicken, celery, grapes, onions, scallions, and raisins. 

In a separate bowl, mash 1 whole avocado with a fork.  Blend in greek yogurt.  Add olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt, curry powder, and pepper and mix thoroughly.  If the mixture is too thick, add more olive oil and lemon.

Combine the avocado-greek yogurt mixture with the chicken medley.  Serve over a bed of mixed greens, use it in a sandwich, or eat it with lettuce wraps.