Breezy Point Chicken Curry

This is the kind of chicken curry that shows up at community suppers and potlucks, and somehow the dish is always scraped clean first.

The sauce is clever. Applesauce adds natural sweetness without sugar, skim milk keeps things creamy without the heaviness, and tomato paste gives it body and color.

Four tablespoons of curry powder means this has real warmth, not just a suggestion of spice.

But the real fun is the condiment spread. Set out bowls of toasted coconut, chopped peanuts, raisins, chutney, diced bananas, crumbled bacon, hard-boiled eggs, and yogurt, then let everyone build their own bowl.

Chef Tips

• Use leftover roast chicken or a store-bought rotisserie bird. This recipe is built for already-cooked chicken, so it comes together fast.
• Toast your curry powder in the dry pan for a full minute before adding liquid. This blooms the spices and kills that raw, dusty taste.
• The applesauce should be unsweetened. Sweetened applesauce will throw the balance off and make the sauce cloying.
• Set the condiments out in small bowls before you call everyone to the table. Half the fun is picking your toppings.