Curry Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps {Or Endive Boats}

I love finger foods… they’re my fave.  I especially love stuffed finger foods.  I’m thoroughly convinced that food inside food is best way thing on this planet… the ultimate ideal.  These little wraps are light, refreshing, healthy, and scrumptious… perfect for finger food snackin!

There are various ways to make chicken salad, but for whatever reason, I’ve always made it like this.  (See my chix salad avo cups HERE– this, stuffed inside avocados).  There’s always curry, some green apples, and some dried fruit… usually apricot.  I love the combo of flavors.  It’s a little tart, a little sweet, and a little savory… the perfect balance of goodness in every single bite.

 

Since I like the idea of food being the utensil (cup, bowl, etc), I thought wraps would be the perfect snack to make for my curry chicken salad craving.  Butter lettuce is my favorite… it’s light, crispy, and the perfect shape for bowls or wraps.  To offer options though, I also used endive to make chicken salad boats.  Both are good, however they have different flavors since endive has a fairly bitter flavor.  I personally like the lettuce wraps better, but for those who enjoy the bitterness of endive, I wanted to show that they work great as stuffed finger food goodies, too…

This little lunch, snack, or potluck treat is perfect any time year… I never get sick of chix salad wraps.  Never.  🙂

makes approx. 10 wraps/boats

INGREDIENTS

2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts (2 cups cooked chicken, chopped)

1/2 cup Granny Smith apple, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1/4 cup red onion, finely diced

1/4 cup diced apricots, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

2 tbsp mayonnaise (more or less depending on preference- see my homemade mayo recipe HERE)

1/2 tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

squeeze of lemon juice, optional

small head of butter lettuce or a couple endive

extra salt, pepper, and olive oil or ghee (for cooking chicken)

 

 

note: endive can be bitter- know whether you like it or not prior to

making this as it has distinct flavor… if you’re unsure, I’d suggest using lettuce

DIRECTIONS

Begin by cooking the chicken…

(If you’re using pre-cooked chicken, skip ahead!)

Generously season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper

Heat olive oil or ghee  in a pan over medium heat

Cook the breasts for a few minutes on each side until browned

Then lower the heat, cover with a lid and let them cook

for about 15-20 more, until completely cooked through

(If you have a method you prefer, by all means do that… we just need them cooked!)

Once done, let them rest for at least five minutes, and then chop into bite-sized pieces

While the chicken is cooking, you can prepare all of the remaining ingredients…

Chop the celery, apple, onion, apricot, and parsley

Place all the chopped ingredients in a mixing bowl

Add the mayo, curry powder, salt, and pepper

Stir together until well mixed… taste and adjust seasonings as desired

Squeeze a wee lemon juice in there if you’d like too!

That’s it for the salad!

For lettuce wraps…

Clean and dry your lettuce

(fyi… I find that picking the leaves off, placing them in a bowl of water to

remove grime, and then laying them on a towel to dry is most efficient)

Stuff each leaf with as much chicken salad as you’d like

That’s it… enjoy!

For endive boats…

Remove the leaves, rinse, and dry

Stuff each endive leaf with chicken salad… the more the better in my little opinion 🙂