Chicken salad is one of those great, no-brainer recipes that’s perfect for lunch or even a light dinner. But, some recipes for this staple American dish can be a bit bland. Not this one, though! The addition of mango chutney adds a whole new kick to this otherwise staid dish and it’s just as easy to make as the original.

Chutneys are a type of condiment from India. Most chutney is made from fruit, sugar, and vinegar – with varying amounts of chili pepper added for spice. For this recipe we used mango chutney, but you can use peach chutney or or apple chutney if you prefer. All of these go great with chicken since they add a subtle kick from the vinegar and chili.

Some chicken salad recipes use mustard so this isn’t all that different However, the fruit in the chutney adds a whole other dimension to the chicken and it’s a perfect counterbalance to the mayo. Not every supermarket carries a selection of chutneys, but most carry at least one or two flavors these days and they’re often located in the same aisle as the pickles and salad dressing.

Like traditional chicken salad there is chopped celery and mayonnaise in this recipe, and for me personally no chicken salad would be complete without a little bit of chopped red onion. If you don’t love onion you can leave it out, but for me it’s an essential ingredient.

You can use either leftover chicken or canned chicken for this recipe. Once you’ve combined the dressing ingredients and the vegetables, fold in the chicken. Serve on toasted bread for a heavenly sandwich. Or use pita bread or crackers if you prefer. Or you can serve on whole leaves of Romain lettuce for a gluten-free meal that’s also lower in carbs. However you have this mango chutney chicken salad you’ll relish the flavors that one ingredient can add to this beloved dish.