Low-Carb Curried Chicken Salad with Asparagus and Pine Nuts

Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into diagonal 2 inch pieces
• 1 lemon
• 4 cups cooked chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 cup sliced green onion
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, or other nuts of your choice
• Salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
• 2 T buttermilk, sour cream, or Greek Yogurt
• 1/3 cup mayo
• 1 T fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1 T curry powder
• 2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
• 2 tsp. lemon zest
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt

Directions

1. Fill a pot with salted water and bring it to a boil. Take one asparagus spear and bend it with both hands until it breaks naturally; use that spot as your guide for trimming the rest. Slice the asparagus on the diagonal, then add it to the salted water and cook for 3 minutes. Do not let it go longer.
2. While the water heats and the asparagus cooks, remove the zest from the lemon, then halve it and squeeze out the juice. If you do not have a zester, a fine cheese grater will do the job.
3. In a bowl, whisk the buttermilk, or sour cream or Greek yogurt, with the mayo, lemon juice, curry powder, Dijon mustard, lemon zest and sea salt until smooth. Begin with the listed amount of lemon juice and zest, then taste and decide whether you want the dressing a little more lemony.
4. Once the asparagus has cooked exactly 3 minutes, pour it into a colander in the sink and let it drain thoroughly. Spread a paper towel on the counter, scatter the asparagus over it, top with another paper towel, and press lightly to remove as much water as you can.
5. Set the asparagus aside to cool while you cut enough cooked chicken to make 4 cups.
6. Cut the green onions on the diagonal, and measure the pine nuts, or the nuts you are using.
7. Put the chicken and asparagus in a bowl and fold in as much dressing as you like. If you prefer a less saucy salad, you may not use all of it.
8. Add the green onion and pine nuts, stirring carefully so everything stays nicely combined.
9. Taste the salad and season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper, then serve. The salad can rest in the fridge for a few hours before serving, and it also holds well after being refrigerated overnight, so doubling the recipe works well if you are feeding more people. If there is extra dressing, stir in a little more just before serving if the salad needs it.