tahini yogurt chicken salad lettuce wraps

This is hands down the best chicken salad I've ever had.

The turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, and dijon are such a wonderful, unique flavor combo. And, with the yogurt and tahini base, I feel a little more healthy than if I was eating chicken slathered in mayo. It takes a it longer than expected to chop and combine all the different components. But, the varying textures and ratio of flavor are well worth the effort!

 

I highly recommend wrapping the chicken salad in the leaves of buttercrunch lettuce. It imparts such a satisfying crunch (quite literally) it's buttercrunch lettuce ;) If you wanted to get more greens in your diet, you could easily cut back the amount of chicken salad on each lettuce leaf by about 1/4 of what I have shown in the photos and still have more than enough balance of chicken salad to lettuce.

You also could add a third can of chicken (using the same amount of dressing) and the chicken would have more than enough seasoning.

Tahini Yogurt Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

Prep time: 15 minutes

Total time: 15 minutes

Serves: 2

Equipment: bowl, measuring spoons, measuring cups, medium spatula

Ingredients:

2 cans chicken in water (5 oz each)

1/2 cup whole milk yogurt

1 tbsp tahini

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup dried currants (or whatever dried berries you have on hand)

1/3 cup diced green onion

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/3 cup chopped pecans (sub chopped walnuts, if desired)

1 head buttercrunch lettuce

Instructions:

1) In a bowl, mix together yogurt, tahini, mustard, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, and salt.

2) Fold in the remaining ingredients.

3) Dollop onto individual lettuce leaves for serving.

4) Enjoy!

 

This recipe, as written and the amount of chicken salad I have on each lettuce cup in the photos, is enough for two lunches for just me if it is all I am eating (no sides, other than maybe an orange). When I have a side (still using the amount of chicken salad shown on each lettuce leaf), this easily makes food savings. However, if you put less chicken salad on each lettuce cup and/or added another can of chicken, this could stretch much further - if you're wanting to make appetizers, for example.

I used one head of buttercrunch lettuce to provide enough leaves for the amount of chicken salad shown on each in the photos. So, buy an additional head (or heads) of lettuce as needed if you plan on placing less chicken salad on each leaf.

Side note - did you know you can plant the root of your buttercrunch lettuce in dirt and it will regrow a few times into a new head of lettuce?? Yes, even the lettuce you buy in a package from the store. It still grows again and again! Quite amazing. See the new green growth poking out in just the weeks time since I used up this lettuce and planted it?

Don't forget to pin this post if you want to remember the recipe for the next time you need a simple, yet delicious, meal!

CHICKPEA CURRY SALAD SANDWICHES

I love the internet, pinterest, instagram, blogs...  

BUT, I HAVE A LOVE FOR PAPER MAGAZINES AND BOOKS EVEN MORE.

So, yes I still tear pages from magazines and cook from them or collage them in my many binders of inspiration.  I tore this recipe for Chickpea Curry Salad Sandwiches from Parade magazine and whipped them up this past weekend.  They were a welcome change from all of the avocado toasts I have been addicted to the past year or two.  Although, I felt they needed a dash more flavor from an additional green onion.  What do you know, when I went to the original recipe from Sarah Britton's in her cookbook, Naturally Nourished, the only variation was two green onions vs one! 

I MIGHT BE GETTING GOOD AT THIS WHOLE COOKING THING!

The recipe below is the original from Sarah Britton.

Chickpea Curry Salad Sandwiches

Makes: 8 to 10 sandwiches

Ingredients:
6 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp curry powder
1 1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
fine sea salt
freshly ground pepper
3 cups (2 15-oz cans) cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 oz raw pecans (approx. 1/8 cup)
3 tbsp raisins
1 stalk celery
2 spring onions
6 to 8 slices whole-grain bread
crisp lettuce or sprouts
sliced red onion or shallots (optional)

Directions:
1) Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, curry powder, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.  Season with more salt, if necessary.
2) in a food processor, pulse the chickpeas to roughly chop them - do not overprocess or you'll end up with chickpea puree.  You can also do this step by hand.
3) Chop the pecans and raisins, then dice the celery and onions.
4) In a large bowl, combine the chopped chickpeas with the dressing.  Add the pecans, raisins, celery, and onions and fold to combine.  Season with salt.  Enjoy the salad on bread with lettuce and onion slices, if desired.