Curry chicken salad is a flavor-packed twist on a classic! This dish is bursting with bold curry spices, sweet raisins and apples, crunchy cashews, and fresh cilantro.
It’s the perfect make-ahead lunch or light dinner for warm weather.
I love how versatile this salad is, too. You can serve it up in lettuce wraps, pile it on a sandwich or salad, or serve it with crackers.
The best part? It’s so easy to whip up! Just toss everything together and let those flavors mingle for a bit. Meal prep queens, this one’s for you.
Why You’ll Love This Curry Chicken Salad
Full of Flavor: It offers the perfect balance of savory, sweet, and spicy flavors to tantalize your tastebuds.
Tender and Crunchy Texture: The combination of tender chicken, crunchy celery, juicy raisins, and roasted cashews creates a delightful interplay of textures in every bite.
Meal Prep Marvel: This recipe is perfect for meal prepping, as the flavors only get better with time.
Quick and Easy Preparation: With minimal prep time and simple instructions, this recipe is ideal for busy bees!
Ingredients
- Cooked Chicken: The star of the show! Tender, juicy chicken pairs perfectly with the vibrant curry flavors.
- Curry Dressing: It’s a blend of curry powder, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, honey, and lime juice. Salt and pepper round out the flavors for a perfectly balanced dressing.
- Celery Ribs: They add an irresistible crunch factor and fresh flavor to every bite.
- Red Onion: It provides a sharp, zesty bite to cut through the creaminess.
- Golden Raisins: Pops of sweet chewiness complement the savory curry notes.
- Medium Apple: It brings tartness, sweetness, and crisp texture to liven up the salad.
- Fresh Cilantro: It adds a burst of brightness.
- Roasted Cashews: Nutty, buttery, and downright addictive, they provide richness and crunch.
How to Make Curry Chicken Salad
You won’t believe how easy this chicken salad is to make!
1. Make the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, curry powder, honey, lime juice, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined.
2. Add the main ingredients. Add the shredded chicken, diced celery, red onion, raisins, apple, and cilantro to the dressing. Toss well until everything is evenly coated.
3. Fold in the cashews. Fold in the chopped cashews. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt, pepper, or curry powder to suit your taste.
4. Refrigerate to blend. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the chicken salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together. The salad can be made up to a day in advance.
5. Serve and enjoy. Serve the curry chicken salad in lettuce wraps, on top of a bed of mixed greens, in a sandwich or wrap, or with crackers on the side. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Curry Chicken Salad
Here are some easy tips to make your salad the best it can be.
- Choose your favorite chicken. Use shredded rotisserie chicken for convenience or cook and shred your own chicken breasts for more control over seasoning.
- Select your spice level. Adjust the amount of curry powder to suit your preferred level of spice and flavor. Start with less and add more to taste.
- Don’t overcook! Don’t overcook the chicken or it will get dry and chewy. Cook until the juices run clear or it reaches 165°F/74°C.
- Avoid sogginess! Pat the chicken and mix-ins dry if they are watery before adding to the salad to prevent the dressing from getting diluted.
- Pair it in style. Pair with fresh fruit like grapes, mango or pineapple, a simple green salad, or soup.
- Get a step ahead. Prepare the chicken salad a day in advance and store in the fridge to let the flavors meld. Fold in the nuts right before serving to maintain crunch.
- Tweak to your liking. Customize to your tastes by adding more mix-ins, such as dried cranberries, chopped mango, shredded carrots, diced bell pepper, etc.
How to Store
If you have leftover chicken salad, here’s how to keep it nice and fresh.
To Store: Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For the best quality, do not freeze it, as the mayonnaise-based dressing can separate upon thawing. For food safety, consume any leftovers within 4 days.
Curry Chicken Salad
8
servings15
minutes275
kcalThis curry chicken salad is so delicious and full of flavor! Loaded with tender chicken, raisins, apples, cashews, celery, and onions, it’s such a treat.
Ingredients
3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 celery ribs, finely diced
1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 medium apple, diced (Honeycrisp or Fuji work well)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup roasted cashews, roughly chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, curry powder, honey, lime juice, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined.
- Add the shredded chicken, diced celery, red onion, raisins, apple, and cilantro to the dressing. Toss well until everything is evenly coated.
- Fold in the chopped cashews. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt, pepper or curry powder to suit your taste.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the chicken salad for at least 30 minutes before serving, to allow the flavors to meld together. The salad can be made up to a day in advance.
- Serve the curry chicken salad in lettuce wraps, on top of a bed of mixed greens, in a sandwich or wrap, or with crackers on the side. Enjoy!
