How to Make Thai Curry Chicken Salad

Thai Chicken salad combines all of the vibrant flavors of Thai food with the hearty goodness of chicken salad.

I was wondering what to do with some leftover coconut cream and the first thing that came to mind was Thai food. I love all of the Thai flavors and thought they would be delicious in a chicken salad, as I had some shredded chicken I wanted to use as well.

You can cook the chicken in a slow cooker with just salt and pepper on high for 3.5 to 4 hours and then shred it with a fork. I love the Cuisinart 3-in-1 slow cooker because you can brown, steam and slow cook all with one machine. You can also buy a rotisserie chicken and pull the meat off. I like to make several pounds of chicken at a time in the crock pot, shred it all at once in big mixing bowls, and then freeze the pre-shredded chicken in individual reusable silicone freezer bags.

Curry and chili paste are both flavors that can overwhelm people. If you’re not used to these spices, start with a little bit and keep tasting it. The final salad should have sweet curry flavors when you bite into it and a nice lingering spice sensation after you swallow. It should not be so hot that you feel the need to drink water!

I keep several types of chili sauce in my fridge, as I love spice. I decided to use Sambal Oelek chili paste because  it is an uncomplicated combination of chilis, vinegar and salt ground into a paste. Because you’re eating this raw, I didn’t want the garlic that’s added to Siracha or some of the other chili pastes as it would overwhelm the more delicate flavors. I also didn’t want to use a sweet Thai Chili Paste because these contain added sugar. The coconut cream, coconut and raisins add enough sweetness, so you don’t need any more added sugar.

MAIN INGREDIENTS
1 pound shredded chicken (about 3 cups)
1/3 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup finely diced cilantro leaves, packed
1 stalk of celery, diced
2 green onions, diced
Salt & Pepper to tasteDRESSING
1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
1/2 cup Half & Half (fat free ok)
2 tbsp. Coconut Cream
1-2 tbsps. Curry powder (more if you like an intense curry flavor)
1/3 cup lime juice
1 Zest from lime
2 tbsp. Ground Chili Paste (to taste)​Make dressing by whisking all ingredients together. Chill in refrigerator while you prepare the other ingredients.

Combine all other ingredients. Mix well. Stir in dressing. This can be eaten right away but it is much better after an hour in the refrigerator. Serve on salad or in a sandwich.

Because of the sweet and spicy flavors, this needs an off-dry or sweet wine. The best wine pairing with the spicy and sweet Thai Chicken Salad will be a Gewurztraminer, a Riesling or a Prosecco sparkling wine from Italy. If your are very light-handed with the spice, you can also pair it with something dry and acidic, like a Sauvignon Blanc.