Easy Chicken Salad Recipe

This Easy Chicken Salad Recipe is probably one of the most versatile recipes. Here, is it is used on top of salad leaves. You can also serve this salad on tiny, cup-shaped lettuce leaves - it means that everyone is getting a morsel of delicious chicken, without having to have it on carbo-loaded bread.

If you intend to make the Mini Pies with phyllo, under Clever Leftovers in the Budget Meal Planning for October, you will need to double this recipe. Don't be daunted, it is hardly any extra work and you land up getting an extra meal.

There are hints of Morocco in this Easy Chicken Salad Recipe - cinnamon, ginger and paprika. However, the spices are not strong and your whole family will love it. Toasted almonds add intensity and crunch to the salad. You can substitute these with whatever nuts you have at hand - pecans work well.

The following ingredients are for one batch. BE SURE TO DOUBLE IF YOU WANT TO MAKE THE MINI PIES.

Ingredients:

Method:

1. Chop the almonds roughly. Place them on a baking sheet and roast them in the oven at 350° F / 180° C for about 5 - 8 minutes. Be careful that they don't burn. Bear in mind that because of the oil content of nuts, they continue to cook for a little while after being removed from the heat. Set aside.
2. Dice the chicken into ½ inch pieces. Brown the chicken in a little oil - do about a quarter of the chicken meat at a time, adding a little oil after each batch. The chicken needn't be completely cooked through at this stage.
3. Fry the onions in a little oil until they are soft and slightly caramelized. Allow them to brown as this gives flavor to the dish.
4. Add the garlic, cinnamon, ginger, paprika, black pepper and salt to the onions. Be careful that the spices don't burn. Add the coriander and parsley.
5. Add the chicken back to the pan. Cook through for about 2 - 3 minutes.
6. Add the roasted nuts. Serve on a bed of lettuce alongside couscous or pasta.