Curried Turkey, Fruit & Nut Salad *

A turkey salad that trades mayo and celery for something way more interesting: a warm curry dressing made from chutney, ginger, and yogurt, piled with tropical fruit and toasted almonds in a crispy tortilla bowl.

The dressing gets cooked briefly, which is the move that pulls this together. Warming the chutney with curry powder and ginger blooms the spices and loosens the chutney into a smooth, pourable consistency. Yogurt gets stirred in after it cools slightly so it doesn’t curdle from the heat.

Marinating the turkey in the dressing for several hours is where the flavor really develops. Cold leftover turkey on its own is bland, but after soaking in curried chutney yogurt, every piece carries that sweet-spicy-tangy punch. The fruit and nuts go in right before serving to keep their texture.

Kitchen Tips

• Use leftover roast turkey or rotisserie chicken. Both work well and this is a great way to use up holiday leftovers.
• Let the dressing cool to lukewarm before adding yogurt. Hot liquid breaks yogurt and turns it grainy.
• Toast the almonds in a dry skillet until golden. They add crucial crunch against the soft fruit and creamy dressing.
• Bake the tortilla shells until fully crisp. They’ll go soggy fast once filled, so serve immediately.

Variations

• Swap papaya for mango if it’s easier to find in your area.
• Use chicken breast instead of turkey for a year-round version.
• Skip the tortilla bowls and serve over a bed of spinach as a lighter composed salad.