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Classic chicken salad gets a touch of warmth and spice thanks to curry powder! The bold flavors of the creamy curry dressing pair perfectly with the tender chunks of chicken, crisp apples and celery, sweet raisins, and pistachios for a nutty crunch. It takes less than 30 minutes to prep and keeps for up to 4 days making it a great lunch or dinner to meal prep!
What Makes This Curried Chicken Salad So Good?
Who knew adding curry powder to classic chicken salad could elevate the flavor so much! Curry powder is actually a blend of spices including cumin, turmeric, coriander, and fenugreek. It can be mild or spicy, this recipe uses a mild curry powder. The warm spiced flavor pairs perfectly with the tang and tart flavor of the Greek yogurt and lemon and richness of the mayo. Honey is the perfect way to sweeten, balance and enhance all the earthy flavors in the dressing.
The other reason this curry chicken salad has quickly become my favorite is all the texture. Apples and celery are a must when I make chicken salad, the sweetness and crunch can’t be beat! Raisins add a sweet chewy bite, and don’t skip the pistachios, they tie everything together. It’s a versatile salad that’s packed with protein and has quickly become a staple lunch or dinner for me when I need something easy or am meal prepping.
Curried Chicken Salad Ingredients and Substitutions
Chicken – I like to use cooked chicken breasts. They’re hearty and hold up well with the creamy dressing. Chicken thighs are great too and rotisserie chicken is a great time saver.
Fruit and Veggies – Green onions, apple, and celery give the chicken salad lots of crunch and flavor. It’s also a way to stretch the amount of chicken you’ll need and keep it more budget-friendly. Grapes are a great substitution for apples and if you like a stronger onion flavor, use red onion.
Nuts and dried fruit – Pistachios are nutty, crunch, and have a slight buttery consistency. Cashews can be used as substitute. If you use salted nuts you may want to cut back on the salt in the dressing. Raisins add the perfect sweet, chewiness to the chicken salad. Thompson raisins or golden raisins can be used. Dried cranberries or dried apricots are a good substitution.
Mayonnaise and Greek yogurt – Instead of using only mayo, I like to lighten it up by combining it with Greek yogurt. I do this with all my chicken salad recipes including this harvest chicken salad and dill pickle chicken salad. The yogurt makes the dressing extra creamy and adds a touch of tang. You can use just mayo, but the flavor and consistency will differ slightly, and the nutritional info will be different.
Curry powder – Curry powder comes in both mild and hot variations. I recommend mild so you aren’t overpowering the other flavors with something spicy. Curry powder can be substituted with an equal amount of garam masala and a pinch of turmeric for the yellow color.
Fresh herbs – I love to use cilantro because it pairs well with curry. If you aren’t a fan of cilantro, try replacing it with chopped parsley.
Tips for the Best Curried Chicken Salad
- Time saving tips. Use leftover cooked chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken to save time. You can also make the curry dressing 1-2 days in advance. Give it a stir if it separates.
- Cut the chicken into cubes. My preference is to cube or dice the chicken so it’s similar in size to the apples, pistachios and raisins. This way you get all of the ingredients in one delicious bite! Don’t worry, if you want to use shredded chicken it will still taste amazing.
- Use both mayo and Greek yogurt for the dressing. Plain Greek yogurt is thick, creamy, and full of protein. Low-fat or whole milk Greek yogurt are best. The mayonnaise delivers that classic flavor commonly found in chicken salad. By using both you still get all the flavor, but with a bit of tang and a creamier consistency. It’s also a great way to make a healthy curry chicken salad.
Ways to Serve Chicken Salad
There are so many ways to serve curry chicken salad. I love making a chicken salad wrap using a tortilla or piece of naan. Keep it simple and use crackers to scoop it up. You can also make a sandwich using bread, a bun, pita bread, or even a croissant. For a low-carb and gluten-free option, make lettuce wraps, like my mango avocado chicken lettuce wraps.
How to Store Curried Chicken Salad
Store the leftover chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you’re making this for meal prep, I recommend leaving the pistachios out and adding them in just before you eat it so they don’t get soft. Don’t freeze the curry chicken salad. It will be watery and mushy once defrosted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make curried chicken salad without nuts?
Absolutely! Skip the nuts or use a seed such as sunflower seeds or pepitas.
Can I make curried chicken salad vegetarian?
Yes. Omit the chicken and replace it with 1-2 cans of rinsed and drained chickpeas.
Can I leave out the raisins?
Yes. If you don’t like raisins try using dried cranberries, chopped up dried apricots. For something fresh, use grapes and cut them in half.
More High-Protein Lunch Recipes
Curry Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt whole milk or 2% are best
- 2 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine kosher salt or to taste
- Black pepper to taste
For the Salad
- 2 1/2 cups cooked and cooled chicken cut into cubes
- 1 cup diced apple
- 2 stalk of celery finely diced
- 2 green onions sliced thin
- 1/4 cup shelled pistachios (unsalted)
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients for the dressing to a bowl and whisk together until smooth. Refrigerate while you prep the salad.
- Add the chicken, apple, celery, green onion, cilantro, pistachios, and raisins into a large mixing or serving bowl.
- Pour the curry dressing onto the chicken salad and stir together with a rubber spatula until everything is coated in the dressing. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have tried several of your recipes and loved them all. This one was not successful with my family. I wish I knew why.
Sorry to hear this one wasn’t a family favorite. If there’s anything you can tell me about what they didn’t like, I might be able to help with some suggestions or substitutions. I hope you’ll keep trying more of my recipes and thank you for making the ones that you already have.
This curry chicken salad is packed with flavor — the spices give it such a delicious twist on the classic.