Roast chicken salad with dates and almonds

Let's say you've cooked — or acquired (no judgement) — a roast chicken. Now what? Adding crunchy almonds and sweet dates, plus a punchy dressing, helps stretch a small chicken a little bit further. If you have any leftover roast kūmara, feel free to add that.

Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook time: nil.

Ingredients

1 small to medium	cooked chicken (or ½ a large one)
¾ cup	roasted almonds, roughly chopped
¾ cup	dates, halved
5–6 big handfuls	baby salad leaves
1 handful	fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped

For the dressing

1 small clove	garlic, peeled and crushed to a paste with ½ tsp salt
½ tsp	hot curry powder
¼ tsp	honey
2 Tbsp	freshly squeezed lemon juice
3½ Tbsp	extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Make the dressing first. Put the garlic paste, curry powder, honey and lemon juice in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the oil and whisk again until emulsified. Set aside.
2. Cut the chicken into small chunks, discarding any bones (or save them for stock) or fatty pieces of skin. Put the chicken in a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the dressing.
3. Put the salad leaves in a serving bowl, then add the chicken, almonds and dates. Pour over the remaining dressing and toss gently. Scatter over the coriander, and serve.

Edited extract from Homecooked by Lucy Corry. Photography Carolyn Robertson. Published by Penguin. RRP $55.