Summer is usually high time for cold salads. Egg, tuna, and chicken salads are classics, whether as side dishes at a cookout or piled high on a sandwich.
Unfortunately, traditional versions of those salads involve copious amounts of mayonnaise—which means a lot of extra saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories. Sure, there are a host of light and vegan mayonnaise options on the market, but ditching the mayo altogether can lead to some surprisingly satisfying results.
One easy substitution: hummus, a favorite option of chef Blake Wollman. As the owner of the Wild Pea, outside Baltimore, he’s been making hummus for more than a decade—his company produces more than 350 flavors of the chickpea spread, which is high in protein, iron, dietary fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids.
Wollman’s go-to chicken salad recipe trims the extra fat from the mayonnaise, but doesn’t skimp on taste. “Chicken salad is such an easy and classic food,” he says. “Switching out the mayo for hummus makes it so much healthier, but it still has that creaminess, plus even more flavor thanks to the curry. You can put it on top of a green salad, have it as a sandwich, or just grab a fork and dig in.”
Curry Chicken Salad
Serves 6
Nutrition per serving: 242 calories, 24 grams protein, 11 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams dietary fiber, 2.8 grams sugar, 10.5 grams total fat, 2.7 grams saturated fat, 205 milligrams sodium. (Does not include optional ingredients.)
Ingredients
1.3 pounds chicken breast
8.5 ounces plain hummus
½ tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon honey
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped mango or golden raisins, as desired (optional)
Directions
1) Prepare cooked chicken as you desire (diced, shredded, etc.).
2) In a bowl, mix the hummus, honey, and spices.
3) Add the chicken and mango or raisins (if using) to the hummus mixture and mix well to combine. Serve.
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Find Chris Campbell on Twitter at @campbler.
