Raita Chicken Salad

kitchengrrl's Note:

I really love the flavor of zatziki and raita, cool yogurt salads from Greece and India, respectively. I decided to add some chicken and voila! Tasty and refreshing summer salad.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 lb chicken breasts or 1 lb chicken tenders
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes or 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
• 1 cucumber, english or regular,peeled,seeded and diced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh mint or 1 tablespoon dried mint, chopped,about
• 1/4 cup fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3/4-1 cup yogurt
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• Tabasco jalapeno sauce, to taste
• rice vinegar, to taste
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 bag spinach or 1 bag mixed salad green

Directions:

1. Poach the chicken in enough water to cover, about 20 mins.
2. (It's especially yummy if you add flavoring to the water. I used 2 cloves garlic sliced up, several peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, a bay leaf and some salt. Save the cooking water for later use as stock.) Remove the chicken when done and chop up into large bite-size pieces.
3. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, garlic, fresh herbs and spices, and a dash of tabasco and vinegar.
4. Mix together for the dressing and adjust seasonings to taste.
5. Add in cucumber, tomatoes and chicken and stir to combine.
6. Taste for seasoning and add more yogurt if needed to make dressing as creamy as you would like.
7. Divide spinach or salad greens among bowls and pile chicken salad on top.

Reviews

[Darkhunter]

This was great! Didn't have any fresh jalapenos on hand, so used my pickled ones. Still turned out wonderful. Family agreed and will have this one again.