Chicken & Fruit Orzo Salad

For about 10 years, this has been one of our favorite summertime salads.  Full of chicken, orzo pasta, fruit and topped with toasted almonds – what’s not to like?

• Servings: 6 one-cup servings
• Print

• 1 cup dry orzo pasta

Fruit:

• 3/4 cup pineapple tidbits in juice, drained
• 3/4 cup green grapes, halved
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 2-1/2 Tblsp. lemon juice
• 2 medium bananas, sliced (reserved)

2 chicken breast halves, cooked and cubed (about 2 cups)

Dressing:

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tblsp. granulated sugar
• 3/4 tsp. curry powder
• Sprinkling of salt and a couple gratings of black pepper

1/4 cup slivered toasted almonds

Cook orzo pasta in boiling salted water for approximately 7 minutes.  Rinse with cold water and drain well.

Place orzo in a large mixing bowl.

In a medium bowl, combine pineapple, grapes, raisins and lemon juice.

Place fruit mixture in bowl with orzo.

Add cubed chicken breast to bowl with orzo.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sugar, curry and salt/pepper.

Add to dressing to orzo/chicken bowl, mixing well to blend.  Place salad in a covered container and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

When ready to serve, mix in reserved banana slices and sprinkle slivered almonds on top of each serving.

Yield:  Approximately 6 cups of salad. 

Shannon’s Curry Chicken Salad

This chicken salad with curry, apples and almonds has become our favorite over the past 4 or 5 summers.  Following is the recipe for one generous serving but, of course, it can be multiplied by as many people as you want to feed.  I like to have this salad with a good homemade roll.

• Servings: One Serving
• Print

• 1 cup of cooked chicken, shredded
• 1/2 tart apple, chopped (Golden Delicious, Granny Smith)
• 1 Tblsp. toasted slivered almonds
• 1 Tblsp. raisins
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise (I like to use Hellman’s Light)
• 1/2 tsp. curry powder

In a small bowl, combine chicken, apple, almonds and raisins.  In a cup, combine mayonnaise and curry powder.  Mix the mayonnaise mixture with the chicken mixture, cover and refrigerate for an hour or so.

Makes one delicious serving.