Curried Chicken Salad

Curried chicken salad is what I make when I want lunch to feel like it has a little personality. It is creamy, crunchy, savory, sweet and just warm enough from the curry powder to keep the whole bowl from tasting like another boring chicken salad recipe.

What makes this version especially good is the balance. The chicken keeps it sturdy, the apple and celery bring freshness and crunch, the raisins and honey soften the sharper edges, and the cashews had earthiness.

Why You’ll Love This Curried Chicken Salad

1. Real texture and contrast. Between the tender chicken, crisp apple, celery, chewy raisins, and crunchy cashews, this is the kind of chicken salad that actually stays interesting from first bite to last.
2. Warm and balanced flavor. The curry powder, lemon juice, mayonnaise, sour cream, and honey work together so the dressing tastes creamy, savory, bright, and just a little sweet. Not like you just mixed chicken with mayo.
3. Use it in lots of ways. This works for sandwiches, wraps, croissants, lettuce cups, meal prep lunches, and straight-from-the-bowl situations with very little effort.

Curried Chicken Salad Ingredients

You only need a handful of fresh ingredients to make this dish! A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.

• Cooked chicken: This is a great recipe for using leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken from the store. But if you need to cook boneless skinless chicken breasts specifically for this recipe, I recommend juicy baked chicken breasts in the oven or poaching them on the stovetop.
• Celery: Finely diced celery adds a good crunch and bright, clean flavor to this salad that lightens it up.
• Apple: Chopped apple adds a wonderful fruity element and crunch that goes so well in chicken salad.
• Raisins: The little bit of chewiness and burst of sweetness from the raisins is fantastic. Golden raisins or dried cranberries would work well too. Or just leave them out altogether or sub with red grapes if you hate raisins!
• Roasted & salted cashews: Pecans are another good option if you don’t have cashews on hand. Sliced almonds are another option.
• Green onions: I love the mild bite of green onions in chicken salad, but diced red onions will work well in their place.
• Mayo: If you want to make this dish a little healthier, you can replace half or all of the mayo with Greek yogurt.
• Sour cream: Sour cream lightens the richness of the mayo and adds a little tang that works especially well with curry.
• Lemon juice: Lemon juice brightens the dressing and keeps the curry flavor from tasting flat or heavy.
• Honey: Honey softens the edges of the curry powder and adds a subtle sweetness that works beautifully with the raisins and apple.
• Curry powder: If you are hesitant about how strong the curry flavor will be, start with 1-2 teaspoons, then taste and add more until you reach the amount you like. I always use one full tablespoon of curry powder, but have even seen similar recipes with 2-3 tablespoons of curry powder. My personal preference is a middle-of-the-road approach that even my kids love. The curry flavor is strong without overpowering the other elements of the chicken salad.

How to Make Curried Chicken Salad

Making your new favorite lunch couldn’t be easier, just follow these simple steps.

1. Prep all of the ingredients: Cook and chop the chicken into bite-size pieces, slice and chop the apple, celery, and green onion.
2. Make the dressing: Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, curry powder, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and whisking together.
3. Make the salad: In a large bowl, combine the chicken, chopped apple, celery, raisins, and cashews. Pour the mayo-curry dressing over the top. Toss everything together until mixed and all of the chicken is coated in the sauce.
4. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes until ready to serve.

Variations

• Add some matchstick or grated carrots for extra veggies
• Add red or green grapes that have been sliced in half. You can use these in addition to the apples or in place of them. Either way, lots of people love chicken salad with the sweet juiciness of grapes.
• Try curried chicken salad with diced mango for a more tropical flavor!
• If you don’t like the flavor of celery but still want the crunchy textural element, try using jicama instead!

Chef Tips

I’ve made this curry chicken salad in my test kitchen to be able to bring you the best tips and tricks.

• Use chicken that tastes good on its own. Since this is a cold salad, starting with well-cooked chicken makes a difference.
• Chop the ingredients evenly. That helps every bite feel balanced instead of awkwardly chunky.
• Use a tart apple. A sharper apple gives the salad better contrast than a very sweet one.
• Do not skip the chill time. That 30-minute rest helps the curry dressing settle into the chicken and mix-ins.
• Toast the cashews if needed. If your cashews taste flat, a quick toast can make the whole salad taste more developed.
• Taste before serving. Depending on the curry powder and the sweetness of the apple and raisins, you may want a little more salt, lemon, or honey.

What to Serve with Curried Chicken Salad

Our favorite way to serve this chicken salad is over green leaf or butter lettuce. The flavor and texture of the lettuce is the perfect backdrop for the bold curry flavor of the chicken salad. It also makes this dish naturally gluten-free.

You can also serve curried chicken salad as a sandwich by piling it between your favorite bread or croissants. Or get some flatbread or a tortilla and make a wrap with it.

Storage and Freezing

Storage: This curried chicken salad recipe is great to make for a party because it is so easy to make in advance, is served cold, and holds up well. You can cook the chicken a day or two in advance and assemble the whole salad up to 4-5 days ahead since it keeps that long in the fridge. It’s just as good on day 4 or 5 as it is on the first day.

Freezing: This salad doesn’t freeze well, unfortunately. The dressing separates and the crunchy ingredients lose their crunch after being frozen and thawed.

FAQs

More Fresh Salads You’ll Love

During spring and summer, salads are my go to meals for lunch and dinner. Here are some of my favorite salad recipes.

Curried Chicken Salad Recipe

4.86 from 7 votes

A creamy, sweet & savory sauce coats tender bites of chicken in this Curry Chicken Salad. Chunks of crisp apples and celery, chewy raisins, and crunchy cashews are in every bite!

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Servings: 6

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Equipment

• Whisk
• Apple Corer & Peeler

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups chicken* , cooked and cubed or shredded
• 1 tart apple , cored and chopped
• 2 stalks celery , diced
• 3/4 cup cashews , salted and roasted
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup green onions (scallions) , chopped

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice , 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste test the dressing and decide if you want more curry powder. Add 1 tablespoons at a time until you reach the desired flavor.
• In a large bowl, combine the cooked and cut 4 cups chicken* , chopped 1 tart apple, chopped 2 stalks celery , 3/4 cup cashews, 1/2 cup raisins and chopped 1/4 cup green onions (scallions).
• Pour the mayo-curry dressing over the top. Toss everything together until mixed and all of the chicken is coated in the sauce.
• Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes until ready to serve. Serve on a sandwich, salad or in a lettuce bowl.
• If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or ratings.

Notes

*This will be about 4 large chicken breasts or one rotisserie chicken. 

Storage: This curried chicken salad recipe is great to make for a party because it is so easy to make in advance, is served cold, and holds up well. You can cook the chicken a day or two in advance and assemble the whole salad up to 4-5 days ahead since it keeps that long in the fridge. It’s just as good on day 4 or 5 as it is on the first day.

Freezing: This salad doesn’t freeze well, unfortunately. The dressing separates and the crunchy ingredients lose their crunch after being frozen and thawed.

Nutrition

Calories: 493 kcal, Carbohydrates: 23 g, Protein: 28 g, Fat: 33 g, Saturated Fat: 6 g, Cholesterol: 89 mg, Sodium: 722 mg, Potassium: 718 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 8 g, Vitamin A: 230 IU, Vitamin C: 5 mg, Calcium: 38 mg, Iron: 2 mg

Author: Amy Nash

Calories: 493

Course: Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken salad with curry powder, creamy curry chicken salad, curried chicken salad, curry chicken salad, curry chicken salad recipe, easy curry chicken salad

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