In May of 2011 just a few months after starting the Slow Carb Diet I embarked on my first major road trip. This journey took me from Kansas City to Boulder, to Phoenix, to San Diego, back to Phoenix, and finally the brutal return drive back to Kansas City. As you can see I racked up quite a few miles on the odometer and several 5-hour energy’s (not slow carb approved but definitely helpful in completing this trek).
I knew that I wasn’t going to be able to stay Slow Carb for much of the trip especially while eating on the go. Luckily I had recently found an amazing chicken salad recipe on Epicurious that could be served cold so I packed up a cooler with about 6 Pyrex containers and a bunch of ice and made my way. This strategy worked pretty well as these meals kept me going a lot better than the typical fast food road trip stops. Unfortunately I didn’t have any for the return trip but I was pretty happy to at least get a few of my meals taken care of.
Below is the original recipe. As you can see I change up the preparation and presentation a lot. I think you can definitely skip the Raita sauce, its ok but not necessary and if you add it the chicken salad won’t keep very well. However, the grapes really add a tasty element to the salad and if you aren’t going Slow Carb Strict (SCS?) I highly recommend adding them.
Curried Chicken Salad with Spiced Chickpeas and Raita
Serves: 4-6
For this recipe I like to do the majority of the prep work up front which makes the rest of the process super easy. First dice the onion[1], mince the garlic[2] and ginger[3], and combine in a small bowl/container. Next dice the tomatoes[4] and celery and put in a separate bowl/container. Finally dice the cucumber[5], finely chop the mint+cilantro, optionally half the red grapes and add to (you guessed it) another bowl/container. However, I recommend using a seal-able container for this one if you plan on having leftovers.
The final prep work that I do before starting is coarsely shredding the rotisserie chicken. Be EXTREMELY CAREFUL not to let any small bones end up in your final dish which has happened to me before. I've found that the easiest way to avoid this is to have 2 large bowls or pans side by side, place the chicken in one, and as you shred move the safe pieces into the empty one. Also take your time while doing this (hence the reason for prepping before hand). Feel free to include the skin as well since I feel it adds a lot to the overall flavor. Also make sure your shredded chicken bowl is large enough to accommodate the rest of the ingredients since you will be combining everything at the end.
Begin heating 3-4 tbsp of EVOO in a large pot and 2 tbsp of oil in a medium to large sized non-stick frying pan both over medium-low heat. While the oil is heating drain the garbanzo beans in a colander. Once the oil is shimmering add the onion, garlic, and ginger to the large pot and cook about 5 minutes. Meanwhile add the garbanzo beans, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp tumeric, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, and a pinch of kosher salt to the frying pan and toss to coat while reducing the heat to low. As you complete the rest of the steps keep an eye on the garbanzo beans and give them a toss every now and then.
Once the onions begin to soften add 1 tbsp curry, 2 tbsp cumin, and a large pinch of kosher salt to the pot and continue stirring for a couple minutes. Next add the tomatoes and celery and stir over medium-high heat for approximately 5 minutes.
Next mix the contents of the large pot and frying pan with the shredded chicken and mix well. At this point you can either cool the mixture if you like to serve it cold. I've actually found that I prefer a little heat and will even microwave leftovers for a small amount of time.
Finally toast the almonds in a small pan and coarsely chop in a food processor (you can also use pre-chopped or sliced almonds). Then add the almonds, cucumber, mint, cilantro, and (optionally) grapes and mix again before serving.
[2] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSPrHYkaMMo
[3] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZUiigESWYM
[4] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFLue-rDtHk
[5] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA2kwxK8SaM
