One of the best meals I had in California was at the Cedar Creek Inn in San Juan Capistrano, near the mission. It was a gorgeous sunny day with a slight breeze, and the air was crystal clear. We sat outside on the patio under colorful umbrellas–so lovely! I ordered the salad pictured above, Chicken Papaya. Couldn’t remember the name of the restaurant when I got home, so looked on line and found the recipe! She calls it curried chicken salad, but it’s the same dish. Now, if I could just find the recipe for batter bread….
Cedar Creek Inn Curried Chicken Salad
Source: The Bells Are Ringing, Mission San Juan Capistrano
Ingredients:
1 bunch parsley
2 chicken breasts, cooked and
chopped, 8 oz. each
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green
onions
1/2 cup raisins, rinsed with hot water
1/2 cup cashew pieces
3/4
cup mayonnaise
1 t. curry powder
Salt to taste
1/2 t. white
pepper
12 romaine leaves
2 ripe papayas, peeled, seeded and cut into
halves lengthwise
4 pineapple slices
4 clusters red seedless grapes
1
cup strawberries
Paprika to taste
Directions:
Reserve 4 parsley sprigs for garnish and chop remaining
parsley. Mix the chopped parsley with the chicken, celery, green onions, raisins
and cashews in large bowl. Add mayonnaise, curry powder, salt and white pepper
and toss to mix well. Chill in the refrigerator. Arrange three romaine lettuce
leaves on each of four serving plates. Place one papaya half in the center of
each plate. Fill center of each papaya half with chicken salad. Arrange
pineapple, grapes and strawberries around the papaya on the plates. Sprinkle
with paprika and garnish with reserved parsley sprigs. Serves 4
*************************************************************************
Great weekend, everyone!
{carole}
Pearls & Prose 
This looks so appetizing… Thanks for sharing the recipe.
You’re so welcome!
This makes my mouth water! Have you ever thought about cookbook photography? 🙂
Aw, thanks, Jacquelin. That would be fun, but I’m not really a food photographer. You pretty much have to use a food stylist to keep everything looking fresh. I watched a video with Penny de los Santos, a premier food photog, and couldn’t believe all the work involved. I was especially surprised at how much say the stylist had over the shoot. Food stylists basically set up the shot, but then photographers seem to get all the credit.
Love the recipe and the photo. It sounds very similar to a Centennial Chicken Sald that I make. A favorite around our home. Thanks for sharing Carole. Have a great weekend1 Jeanne
Thanks, Jeanne. You have a good weekend too!
This would look so amazing if I hadn’t just eaten. I’m stuffed! Still, I wanted to pop by after my long absence.
No problem. I’ve been away too. Are you still in Normandy?
Holy cow I know I sound like a broken record, but I really like your pictures! And the recipe sounds great, it sounds similar to this chicken salad stuff I buy and have on sandwich bread.