Savory Curried Chicken Salad (with Optional Add-ins)

This recipe makes a generous amount as I often make it for company in the summertime and like to have leftovers. The recipe can easily be cut in half and will keep for the better part of a week stored in the refrigerator. Adding the cup of whole cashews just before serving will keep them crisp.

Ingredients

4 whole (8 split) bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (I typically use 2% for this recipe)
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup dry white wine or chicken stock (see note)
3 tablespoons curry powder
1 1/2 cups chopped celery (include the leaves, if desired)
1/4 cup minced onion
1 cup whole cashews (salted or unsalted, according to preference)
Optional mix-ins or garnishes: chopped apple, chopped fresh or dried apricots, additional cashews, sunflower seeds, golden raisins, chopped scallions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 35-40 minutes or until just cooked through. Set aside to cool.
In another bowl, combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, wine or stock, curry powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and a few grinds of the pepper mill.
When cool enough to handle, remove the chicken from the bones, discarding along with the skin, and chop the meat into bite-size pieces. Place in a large mixing bowl, and add the celery and onion along with any of the optional mix-ins.
Pour in enough dressing to coat the chicken, reserving any leftover to add when serving, if desired.
Prior to serving, mix in the 1 cup of cashews and serve as is or with optional toppings.

Sometimes, I don’t want to open a bottle of wine just for the third of a cup called for in this recipe. In that case, I pour off the broth generated from cooking the chicken, put it in the fridge until it cools, skim off the fat, and use the broth in place of the wine.