While adding curry powder to chicken salad is nothing new, frying curry paste and mixing it into yogurt (instead of mayonnaise) to form the base of this bright, aromatic spin feels like a revelation. Red curry paste adds deep flavors of chili peppers, lemongrass, makrut lime, and shallots. Store-bought rotisserie chicken makes this meal come together fast. And the combination of fresh vegetables like celery and herbs provides a crisp, refreshing contrast to the bold spiciness of the curry paste. This is especially satisfying in the summer, when you’re looking to lean on recipes requiring minimal prep and stovetop cooking. Here we serve it on crunchy lettuce, but it’s equally delicious in wraps and sandwiches.
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What you’ll need
Small Saucepan
$160 $150 At Amazon
Wooden Spoon
$8 $7 At Amazon
Chef’s Knife
$115 At Hedley & Bennett
Measuring Spoons
$10 At Bon Appétit Market
Recipe information
Total Time
30 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium. Cook 3 Tbsp. red curry paste, stirring often, until fragrant and slightly darkened and beginning to stick to bottom of pan, about 2 minutes. Scrape into a medium bowl; let cool.
Step 2
Stir 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt, 3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, 2 tsp. honey, and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt into curry paste.
Step 3
Add ½ medium red onion, finely chopped, 1 celery stalk, finely chopped, 6 sweet gherkins, chopped, 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken with skin, and ⅓ cup finely chopped cilantro to dressing and toss well to coat. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
Step 4
Arrange 2 heads of Little Gem lettuce or romaine hearts, leaves separated, on plates. Scoop about 2 Tbsp. chicken salad onto each leaf. Top with ⅓ cup coarsely chopped salted roasted peanuts.
