North African-Inspired Curry Chicken Saladwith Apricots, Pistachios & Ras el Hanout

Name: North African-Inspired Curry Chicken Salad with Apricots, Pistachios & Ras el Hanout
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: North African
Ingredients: 3 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size cubes; ½ cup light sour cream; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger; 1 tablespoon ras el hanout; 2 teaspoons Madras curry powder; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 6 ounces dried apricots, sliced; ⅔ cup shelled pistachios, lightly chopped; ¾ Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apple, or a favorite apple, diced; 1 cup raisins (or golden raisins or dried Zante currants); 1 small sweet onion, diced; 1 cup light mayonnaise; ½ cup light sour cream or plain Greek yogurt; 2 teaspoons ras el hanout; 1 teaspoon Madras curry powder; ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste; ¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste

Creamy chicken salad layered with warm ras el hanout and Madras curry, plus dried apricots, pistachios, apple, and raisins.

Prep: 20 minutes + marinating
Cook: 25–30 minutes + 1 hour chill
Makes: About 8 portions of chicken salad

Estimate assumes three chicken breasts total about 1½ pounds and eight equal portions. This is for the chicken salad only: it includes the light mayonnaise and light sour cream mixed into the batch, but excludes bread, cheese, and the extra mayonnaise used on a sandwich. The sandwich below uses hollowed-out bread; its nutrition varies with how much bread is removed and the toppings used.

Star ingredientRas el hanout

Ras el hanout is a North African spice blend whose name is often translated as “head of the shop,” a nod to a spice seller’s signature mix. There is no single fixed recipe: blends vary by maker and may bring together warm, earthy, sweet, and fragrant spices. In this salad, its layered aroma leads the flavor, so use more ras el hanout than Madras curry powder.

Matty’s jar of ras el hanout spice blend — Ras el hanout

A curry spice blend from Matty’s spice shelf — A curry blend from Matty's spice shelf

Ingredients

For the marinated chicken

3 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size cubes
½ cup light sour cream
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon ras el hanout
2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

For the chicken salad

6 ounces dried apricots, sliced
⅔ cup shelled pistachios, lightly chopped
¾ Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apple, or a favorite apple, diced
1 cup raisins (or golden raisins or dried Zante currants)
1 small sweet onion, diced
1 cup light mayonnaise
½ cup light sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons ras el hanout
1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste

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Make it

Marinate the chicken: Cut the chicken breasts into bite-size cubes. In a bowl, whisk together the light sour cream, olive oil, grated ginger, ras el hanout, Madras curry powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Add the chicken and toss until coated. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours or overnight.
Marinate the chickenStart by coating the cubed chicken in sour cream, olive oil, ginger, ras el hanout, and Madras curry. Refrigerate 8 to 10 hours or overnight.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread the chicken and marinade in a roasting pan. Roast for about 25 to 30 minutes, checking the cubes early because their size affects cooking time. Cook until the thickest pieces reach 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
Let the chicken cool, then shred it with a fork and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the sliced apricots, chopped pistachios, diced apple, raisins, and sweet onion.
Apricots and pistachiosSlice the dried apricots and lightly chop the shelled pistachios.
Salad add-insApple, sweet onion, raisins, apricots, and pistachios, ready to combine.
Add the cooled shredded chicken. Stir in the light mayonnaise and light sour cream or Greek yogurt. Season with the ras el hanout, Madras curry powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until creamy; add a little more mayonnaise or sour cream/yogurt if you prefer it softer.
The chicken salad comes togetherA first look at the creamy salad before it is spooned onto cranberry walnut bread.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Matty's kitchen note

I cut the chicken into cubes before marinating so more marinade could coat the pieces and the chicken would cook faster in the oven.

A sandwich idea

Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad Sandwich

A one-sandwich serving idea, using one portion of the chicken salad. Tomato and lettuce are optional fresh additions.

Cranberry walnut bread sandwich stacked with curry chicken salad, cheddar, and tomato on a dark plate — Matty's cranberry walnut chicken salad sandwich

Put it together

Scoop a little of the soft interior from both bread slices, leaving the edges sturdy enough to hold the filling. Spread the bread lightly with mayonnaise. Add the chicken salad and a slice of cheddar; tuck in sliced tomato and lettuce if you have them. Close the sandwich and serve.

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North African-Inspired Curry Chicken Saladwith Apricots, Pistachios & Ras el Hanout

Make it

Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad Sandwich

Put it together

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