Curry Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Fall is slowly making its way here.  The weather is cooling, the color of the leaves are turning, and I am no longer having to exercise really early in the morning or around dusk.  I also feel like I can finally turn my oven on without cranking up the AC.  And I can now start wearing my new back-to-school fall clothes!  (That’s what matters, right?  Being a teacher, I love getting to add a couple of new clothes to my work/school wardrobe.)   And now that fall is vastly approaching, it’s going to be harder to want to eat cold sandwiches, so I have to get my fix in now.  What’s great about this recipe is that not only does it taste fantastic, but it makes enough that you can have leftovers.  Good leftovers you can take to work and not worry about stinking up the lunch room.  (I have some co-workers who reheat fish and what-not and that really permeates the place!)

If you’re worried that the curry will be too strong, I promise you it’s not.  It has such a slight hint and with the apricot jam, it sweetens the salad, so it’s perfect.  Even better, you can make it ahead of time, and bring it out of the fridge when you’re about ready to serve.  (If you do make it ahead of time, only make the salad and put in the fridge.  When you’re ready to serve, bring the salad back out and have people put the sandwich together.  That way, your bread isn’t soggy.)

So enjoy a late summer chicken salad today and say goodbye to summer and hello to fall. xoxo

Curry Chicken Salad Sandwiches

printable recipe

5 t curry powder, divided

5 medium chicken breasts

½ c cold water

½ c apricot jam

½ c sour cream

½ c mayonnaise

3 celery stalks, chopped

½ c sliced almonds

¼ c raisins

tomatoes, sliced

lettuce

croissants, sliced in two

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place the chicken breasts in a 9×13 baking dish, making sure that they are snug and do not overlap each other.  Pour the water into the baking dish.  Rub 1 t curry on each breast.  Bake for 20-40 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked through and no pink shows.

Place cooked chicken on a cutting board and cool to room temperature.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add all remaining ingredients.  Cut chicken into ½-inch cubes and add to the mixture.

To assemble the sandwiches: Place some slices of tomato and leaves of lettuce on one side of the croissant.  Scoop the chicken mixture on top and then gently press the top croissant down on the sandwich.  Serve with fruit salad, green salad, or chips.

Serves 6-8