Chicken, pesto and yogurt salad

December 3, 2008
Filed under Christmas & New Year

Chicken and yogurt salad For some reason, chicken and macaroni salad is a fixture in the Filipino Christmas and New Year menu. It’s one of the side dishes that I’m planning on serving for the New Year family reunion because I feel it should go well with roast stuffed turkey and the grilled meat that’s already in the list. But I’m serving my chicken and macaroni salad with a twist this time. We’re cutting down on the fat by using less mayonnaise and adding fruit-flavored yogurt instead. And this salad is more aromatic with the inclusion of lemon juice and rind. For a variety in texture, it has seedless grapes and toasted almonds. Finally, for an unexpected kick, a small amount of pesto. I did a dry run of the recipe about a month ago and the result was surprisingly good.

If you want to cut down even more on the fat, omit the bacon bits.

Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients

125 g. of uncooked pasta
1-1/2 to 2 c. of thinly sliced cooked chicken or turkey meat
3 tbsps. of pesto (home-made, if possible)
2 celery stalks
1 carrot
20 seedless grapes
2 tbsps. of toasted bacon bits
3/4 c. of fruit-flavored yogurt (I recommend mango)
1/3 to 1/2 c. of mayonnaise
2 tbsps. of lemon juice
grated rind of one lemon
salt
pepper
toasted sliced almonds for garnish (optional)
grated Parmesan cheese

Make the salad

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain well.

Toss together the chicken and pesto.

Cut the celery stalks into one-fourth inch slices.

Peel the carrot and cut into matchsticks.

Cut the grapes into halves.

Place everything in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Go easy on the salt at this point; you can always add more later. Remember that the pesto and bacon bits already contain salt. Toss until blended. Place is a covered container and chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

To serve, sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds and Parmesan cheese. Toasted bread brushed with pesto is a good accompaniment.

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Comments

8 Comments on "Chicken, pesto and yogurt salad"

Nikita on Wed, 3rd Dec 2008 5:20 pm

For chicken macaroni salad, I’ve successfully replaced the chicken with canned tuna flakes. Do you think it will also work for this recipe?

Connie on Wed, 3rd Dec 2008 9:11 pm

Yes, I’m sure it will, just break up the tuna into large chunks so the salad doesn’t get mushy. Sarap din yun, tuna.

beng on Wed, 3rd Dec 2008 11:28 pm

interesting flavors! i might try cashew with this, not a fan of almonds e.

Connie on Thu, 4th Dec 2008 8:54 am

Even pili nuts work. Walnuts too.

Jennifer on Thu, 4th Dec 2008 9:48 am

This recipe sounds delicious. I’ve been thinking of a new side dish to try for an annual Christmas party and this is perfect. Thanks

Andrew on Mon, 15th Dec 2008 4:40 am

My grandmother used to do something similar. She used to serve it worm and it had a yogurt sauce on top.

Nida on Wed, 17th Dec 2008 9:34 pm

Hi Connie, I’m including this on my Christmas recipes, but how do you make the “pesto” or where can i buy it? I don’t know what pesto is made of. Thanks

Nida from New York

Connie on Wed, 17th Dec 2008 10:18 pm

Nida, if you’re in New York, there must be hundreds of places there selling pesto in a jar. But you can make your own. Check the link in the entry.