Curried Grilled Chicken Potato Salad

I love a good salad for dinner, and this Curried Grilled Chicken Potato Salad is a pretty epic candidate for your next meal. Now, I love a good mayonnaise-y potato salad as much as the next person, but the world of potato salad must extend beyond Dijon and Hellman’s, right? Right. I made this as a last-minute dinner the other day as something really quick and simple with ingredients we already had in the fridge, and because I was expected to make a pretty substantial MEAL (they were practically banging their forks and knives on the table, for Pete’s sake. This family gets scary when seeking sustenance…), I added a protein to the mix in the form of grilled chicken to curried potato salad and served it alongside simply dressed baby greens. Yes, we had two “salads” for dinner. It definitely wasn’t weird. There’s just such an amazing variety of textures and flavors here, derived from some relatively simple ingredients, and variety is the key to making a salad into a real meal. If you have a nut allergy in your house, substitute them with something else that will add crunch or another interesting texture to the dish (some ideas off the top of my head include: dried cranberries, thinly sliced radishes, julienned carrots, or crumbled pita chips. Uh…note to self? Figure out how to make pita chips.) This dish is awesome served warm or at room temperature, so it’s great for all you Ina-Garten-channeling, infinitely-more-responsible-than-me “make-ahead” experts. For a potato dish with some extra kick, check out Spicy Black Bean Twice cooked potatoes or  Sichuan Stir-Fried Potatoes. but only after you try this awesome recipe!

Recipe Instructions

Ok, so bring a pot of salted water to a boil and boil the potatoes until just tender. Check on them frequently by poking them with a fork, being careful not to overcook them. Drain. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and grill until cooked through. Set aside. Oh, and say hello to our brand spankin’ new grill pan! Hooray for urban indoor grilling! In a bowl or jar (I like the shake-in-a-jar-method), make your dressing by combining the olive oil, sugar, garlic, lime/lemon juice and zest, cilantro, parsley, scallion, red chili, curry powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Cut the chicken into chunks and toss along with the potatoes, toasted pecans, and dressing. Serve as a side dish, or as a main dish along with a simple green salad. This recipe is perfect for an easy summer dinner, or for an awesome potluck or barbecue offering. It’s super tasty and quite different from your average picnic table fare.