A Lovely Lunch

Why is it that so many people use canned chicken to make chicken salad sandwiches? I guess it must really be a convenience issue, because the flavor comparatively, well, actually there really isn't a comparison. Canned chicken tastes almost identical to canned tuna in my opinion--wet, mushy and a bit stringy. In fact, last weekend when I was at a tea party, I had to ask the hostess if I was eating a chicken or tuna sandwich because I really couldn't tell. I like my chicken to taste like chicken and my tuna fish to taste like tuna, which is exactly why I prefer them both fresh.

Last night we had a rotisserie chicken for dinner, and had plenty left over for lunch today. Stripped from the bone, cubed and tossed in a quickly made curry dressing, along with scallions, apples and peanuts, it was an easy enough undertaking, with scrumptious results. I topped the sandwiches with some watercress for a fresh and earthy flavor, but any lettuce would do. A scoop of this would also work well on top of a bed of salad greens, or even stuffed into a pita. Admittedly, this chicken salad is a bit rambunctious and tends to spill out the sides of the bread, but I enjoy its chunky texture and the contrasting crunch of the apples and peanuts with the smooth and mildly spicy dressing.

Curried Chicken Salad

In a large bowl mix together 1/2 C mayo, 1 t curry powder, 2 T white wine and a squeeze of lemon juice. Fold in 1 chopped apple, 2 sliced scallions, 1/4 C chopped salted peanuts, and 1/2 a roasted chicken that has been removed from the bone and cubed. Taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper if necessary. Makes 3-4 sandwiches.