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Smoked Curried Chicken Salad

Smoky pulled chicken is tossed in a spiced curry vinaigrette and served over tender greens with raisins, red onion, cashews, and cilantro.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs about 4 large thighs
  • kosher salt to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil for cooking the aromatics
  • 2/3 cup olive oil for the vinaigrette
  • 1/2 yellow onion diced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger minced
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/3 cup white vinegar
  • spring mix or other tender lettuce
  • golden raisins for topping
  • sliced red onion for topping
  • chopped toasted cashews for topping
  • cilantro leaves for topping

Instructions

  • Fill one quarter of the smoker box with hickory wood chips and preheat the smoker to 225°F (107°C).
  • Season the chicken thighs all over with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  • Place the thighs directly on the top rack of the smoker and smoke until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (about 2 hours).
  • Remove the chicken, let rest 5 minutes, then discard the skin and pull the meat into bite-sized pieces; set aside.
  • While the chicken smokes, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, then add the diced onion, minced garlic, minced ginger and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the curry powder, ground cumin, and ground turmeric to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
  • Transfer the cooked aromatics to a blender with the white vinegar and blend until smooth.
  • With the blender running, stream in 2/3 cup olive oil until emulsified into a vinaigrette, then season to taste with salt.
  • Place the pulled chicken in a medium bowl and add several spoonfuls of the curry vinaigrette; toss to coat. The chicken should be well coated but not swimming in sauce. Adjust seasoning with salt as needed.
  • To serve, place a handful of salad greens on each plate, top with one quarter of the curried pulled chicken, and sprinkle with golden raisins, sliced red onion, chopped toasted cashews, and cilantro leaves.
  • Finish with a light drizzle of extra vinaigrette and serve remaining vinaigrette on the side.

Equipment

  • smoker or pellet grill
  • Skillet
  • Blender
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Measuring Cups
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Tongs
  • Knife and cutting board

Notes

  • At the restaurant, the greens are dressed with a citrus vinaigrette.
  • This recipe uses the curry vinaigrette for both the chicken and the greens for simplicity.