Fall Chicken Salad with Apples and Tomatoes

Ginger Chutney Dressing

1 clove fresh garlic

½ cup mango or other chutney

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard or other country-style deli mustard

1 tablespoon reduced-fat (or regular) mayonnaise

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger or bottled fresh ginger

teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste

1 cup vegetable oil

Salad

8 cups torn lettuce leaves of choice

2 cups poached chicken chunks, defrosted if frozen

1 large or 2 small red apples, such as Gala or Braeburn

1 pint grape tomatoes

¼ cup toasted sunflower seeds or other nuts

¼ cup crumbled blue cheese, optional

For the dressing: Peel the garlic, and drop the clove through the feed tube of a food processor onto the moving blade; chop finely. Add the chutney, mustard, mayonnaise, ginger and cayenne pepper, and pulse several times until the chutney is finely chopped.

Drizzle the oil in a thin stream through the feed tube with the motor running, and process until completely incorporated. Serve at once or refrigerate in a covered, airtight container until ready to serve, up to two weeks. (Shake to recombine before serving.) Makes 1 cups

For the salad: Place the lettuce leaves on a large serving platter (or on four individual dinner plates). Scatter the chicken chunks over the lettuce.

Cut the apple (not peeled) into bite-size pieces, and scatter over the chicken. Cut any large tomatoes in half, but bite-size tomatoes can be left whole. Add to the salad. Scatter the sunflower seeds and blue cheese (if using) over the platter.

Serve at once, passing the Ginger Chutney Dressing at the table to drizzle on top, using about a tablespoon per serving, or more to taste.

Serves four.

Cook's notes: Hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco, or crushed red pepper flakes can be substituted for the cayenne pepper. Chopped walnuts, pecans or unsalted peanuts can be used instead of sunflower seeds.

Nutrition values per serving: 428 calories (41 percent from fat), 19.5 g fat (3 g saturated), 20 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 44 g protein, 108 mg cholesterol, 233 mg sodium.