Ina's Curry Chicken Salad -- It's the best!!!

 Curried chicken salad is probably my favorite type of chicken salad.  This Barefoot Contessa staple is outstanding.  Instead of baking chicken breasts, I (read: Keith) shred a rotisserie chicken from Costco.  The dressing really is best in a food processor vs a whisk.  The food processor blends the fruit chunks from the chutney.  Also, I add all the nuts at once, though it causes the nuts to eventually lose their crunch.

Hope you give this one a try!

Ina's Curried Chicken Salad

8 cups shredded chicken (approximately 1 rotisserie chicken shredded)

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup Major Grey's chutney (non negotiable)

3 tablespoons curry powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup diced celery (about 2 large stalks)

1/4 cup chopped scallions (green onions), white and green parts (2 scallions)

1/4 cup raisins

1 cup roasted and salted cashews

Shred chicken and place in large mixing bowl; set aside. 

Combine mayonnaise, wine, chutney, curry powder, and salt in food processor fitted with a steel blade.  Process until smooth.

Pour dressing over chicken, enough to moisten well (I usually use all of it).  Add celery, scallion, raising, and cashews.  Mix well and refrigerate before serving.  

Celery stuffed with Brandied Blue Cheese

 Oldy but a goody.  Blue cheese, walnuts, and celeery always work.  Here's a yummy recipe for parties or Sunday afternoons.

Celery with Brandied Blue Cheese Spread

1/4 cup walnuts

1/2 cup (2 oz) crumbled blue cheese

1 tbsp cream

2 tbsp butter, cut in pieces

1 tbsp brandy

salt and pepper to taste

Celery, cut into 2 inch pieces

In food processor, corsely chop walnuts (this step can also be done by placing in a Ziploc and hitting with a wooden spoon). Remove nuts from food processor and set aside.  Add blue cheese, cream, butter, and brandy to food processor and process 5-7 seconds.  Season with a little salt and pepper to taste.  Add walnuts and pulse several times to distribute evenly.  Tranfer to storage container and chill.  Spoon onto to celery and serve.