This twist on a curry chicken salad includes ingredients that support the immune system including turmeric, a potent anti-inflammatory spice. This recipe also includes foods high in flavonoid compounds luteolin (celery, lettuce, apple), quercetin (onions, shallots, cilantro) and rutin (red grapes, apple peel) which have been found to counter inflammation and have anti-allergy and anti-microbial properties. Unlike a traditional chicken salad, this recipe does not include mayonnaise or citrus juice (lemon/lime juice) which are higher in histamine. If you are following a low histamine diet, you can freeze extra diced or pulled chicken right after preparing it. Store in single serving containers to preserve freshness and reduce histamine formation.

Salad Yield: about 4 servings. The dressing yields about 2 cups, store additional for up to 12 hours in the fridge or freeze smaller portions in glass jars for later use.

Ingredients: 

• 1 (14-ounce) can whole fat coconut milk
• 1 small shallot, roughly chopped
• 1 ½ teaspoons turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (generally well-tolerated on low histamine diet)
• ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped with stems
• 2 tablespoons green onion, greens and/or whites, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Salad: 

• 2 cups cooked chicken diced or shredded
• 1 large celery rib or 2 small, diced
• ½ medium sized apple with skin, diced
• ¼ cup seedless red grapes, halved
• 2 tablespoons red onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons raw hemp or sunflower seeds
• 4-6 bib lettuce leaves for wrapping, or serve on a bed of salad greens

Instructions:

1. Combine dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor, blend until smooth. Reserve about ½ cup dressing for immediate use.
2. In a medium sized bowl combine cooked chicken, diced apple, celery and halved grapes. Add ½ cup dressing, mix to combine.
3. Fold in cilantro leaves and hemp or sunflower seeds.
4. Serve as lettuce wraps or over a bed of salad greens.