Curried Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

Curried Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

serves 4

(America)

Neat little chicken salad sandwiches, along with radish and water crest sandwiches,  are traditionally one of the "ladies club bridge" or "high tea" staples.  This recipe adds a definitely Middle Eastern taste to the humble chicken salad finger sandwich  with the addition of curry powder to the recipe and a neat twist by dropping the bread  and wrapping the curry dressed chicken nuggets in pieces of Hearts of Romaine.

Ingredients

4 cups chicken stock

2 large skinless boneless chicken breasts

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt

1/3 cup golden raisins

1 cup roasted cashews, roughly  chopped

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

2 heads of  hearts of Romaine lettuce, separated

Preparation

1.  Preheat oven to 350° F.

2.  Spread the shredded coconut on a cookie sheet, place in the oven and toast for  about 8 minutes until most of the shredded coconut is nicely browned.

3.  In a 3-quart over medium heat bring the chicken  stock to a simmer.   Add the chicken and simmer, uncovered, for  25 minutes.  Transfer chicken to a clean work  surface and cool until the breasts can be handled comfortably.   Either shred the chicken or chop it into 1/2-inch pieces. Set the shredded or chopped chicken aside in medium bowl.

4.  In a separate, small bowl mix together the mayonnaise, yogurt, curry, lime juice, honey, salt, raisins, 1/3 cup chopped cashews, 1/3 cup of toasted coconut, and ¼ cup chopped cilantro.  Check seasoning and adjust to taste.  

5.  Combine the curry/yogurt sauce with the chopped/shredded chicken and thoroughly mix.  

6.  Transfer the curry chicken salad to a platter  over a bed of lettuce , garnish  with extra chopped cilantro and coconut. Serve accompanied by additional lettuce leaves, additional chopped cashews, roughly chopped cilantro, and toasted coconut.  To eat, place some of the chicken salad on a lettuce leaf, top with some chopped cilantro, chopped cashews, and toasted coconut fold and enjoy.