Tandoori Chicken Salad

[Debbiebillg]

Now for those who don't like a plate of salad too much (like me), give this a go.  It is really, really delicious. I could eat this over and over for dinner, it is so tasty ! You don't get left with that unsatisfied feeling after you've just had a salad for dinner ! Everyone always raves about this !  It's even good enough to serve to visitors and the salad can be made in advance.  I copied this from a coffee shop.

This salad is made in individual serving bowls.  They need to be large and deep bowls.

Ok so this is what you do:

Layer in the bowl

Finely shredded lettuce
Finely sliced red onion or eschalots
Sliced cucumber
Sliced raw mushrooms
Cherry tomatoes sliced in half
A thickish layer of grated carrot
A thickish layer of grated cheese

Of course, anything else you like in a salad (ie avocado, baby spinach)

When ready to serve, put some balsamic vinegar on the salad.

Salad is done ......... now for the chicken.  I have made this since pre-TMX days so I always buy a jar of Pataks Tandoori paste (not the simmer sauce, must be the paste, I used 3 heaped teaspoons for 600g chicken).  In a frypan I fry some chicken breast sliced into like stir fry pieces with a little oil (the photo shows cubed chicken as that's what I had in the freezer, strips are better or whatever you prefer).  Then mix in the tandoori paste.  If the chicken is dry you can add a little yoghurt / sour cream (I found it didn't need it).  Just enough to cook the chicken,  but do not add too much as you don't need any sauce on the salad.  Cook until the chicken is cooked.

Place the chicken pieces on top of the salad. Put a really good dollop of yoghurt or sour cream on top and if desired some sweet chilli sauce or chilli sauce or whatever you like.  

Another tip, we also sometimes do this salad with cooked and sliced chicken schnitzel on top, then sour cream and sweet chili sauce. You could play around with any meat you like really.

If you ask me this is the only way to eat a salad, it's so yummy and healthy too ! We are having this for dinner tomorrow so I will try and put a pic up tomorrow !!!

[meganjane]

Sounds delicious! I love salads that are meals, with warm meat of some sort that has a yummy sauce. So, this sounds like it's right up my alley...

[Debbiebillg]

It will really suprise you ! Very tasty ! My Mum is definately no salad fan, but she loooooveeeesssss this !

[judydawn]

It does sound nice. This will be one I will be trying come summer.  My DH has a habit of not eating salad from his plate when we are dining out but does eat it if I put it on his plate at home    Bit silly really, if he doesn't like it why eat mine.  If he stopped eating it, I would stop giving it to him - I hope he doesn't work that one out   

[Debbiebillg]

Yehh Judy but sometimes the ones you get when you're out are little more than lettuce ! My DH is the same !

It's starting to get warmer here in Qld already ! Can't wait for summer (well not when it's stifling) but warm enough to eradicate all the flu bugs, we're over it this year, we had a bad bout of it this time round ! All 5 of us had it and still haven't totally got rid of it.  This is a picture of my 3 boys all sick and sleeping at 4pm (never, ever, ever happens !) So yes bring on the warm weather !

[judydawn]

Oh yes, they are sick all right - kids just don't do that if they are well    Poor little fellows, hope you are all well again soon.

[cookie1]

A lovely but sad photo. I can never imagine 2 children sharing a chair without pushing and shoving and here they are sleeping. Poor things.

[Debbiebillg]

Yep Cookie suprised us  too lol .... yep definately sick to be asleep together !! Funny thing is any two of them usually get on in general ! But three ohhhh my !!

[Debbiebillg]

Photos added (plus I also changed the instructions re cooking the chicken as I found it didn't need any extra liquid) ......... I used to make this all the time but forgot how good it was. When I bought the electric mini grater from Aldi this week, I knew I just had to make this ! A favourite for us !

[Debbiebillg]

We had this for dinner again tonight because the kids asked for it ! They all had a couple of things in the salad they didn't want, they helped making the salads so they put what they wanted in theirs.  The kids really, really love the chicken, they kept sneaking more of the leftover chicken. Please nobody tell them how much salad they ate lol. They do like salad but they definately ate more tonight !

For those with kids, the chicken isn't very spicy, just very full of flavour. 

[Debbiebillg]

I froze the leftover chicken from this salad and use it on pizzas ........... very yummy !