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“Curry in a hurry” is what they call this easy curry chicken salad recipe. It’s great on croissants, sliced bread, butter lettuce, crackers, or sliced fruit.
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This curry chicken salad is a favorite during the summer months at our house. It is super easy to prepare, tastes light and flavorful, and doesn’t heat up the kitchen. The curry flavor is mild enough to not be overpowering, but you will get a perfect kick of spices in each bite. Make a big batch for your next picnic, backyard party, or potluck. It’s also fun to serve at a baby or bridal shower because it’s easy to make ahead of time and looks gorgeous on a buffet table.
Salads as a main course are such a great way to pack in lots of veggies and protein while adding flavor and color to your summer suppers. Try our classic Cobb Salad or this pretty Layered Cold Pasta Salad and keep those ovens off during the hot months!
What’s in this Curry Chicken Salad Recipe
What makes this salad stand apart from regular chicken salad is the woodsy curry powder. It gives the salad both a sweet and savory flavor (think cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, and cumin) that pairs beautifully with chicken, fruits, and veggies alike. The great thing about salads is you can keep adding or omitting ingredients until it tastes just the way your family likes them!
- Chicken – For this recipe, I start with a base of rotisserie chicken, shredded. You can use boiled chicken breasts or roast chicken too. Use leftover chicken from Sunday dinner if you have some on hand.
- Red grapes – but by all means, use green if that’s what you have on hand. I just love the red color in the salad.
- Cashews – these mild nuts give the salad a wonderful texture and crunch. You can also add almonds, chopped pecans, or any kind of nut you like.
- Diced Apples – I love using tart green apples or honey crisp apples in this recipe, but any type will work.
- Golden raisins – these beauties add a delightful sweetness and taste delicious with the curry flavors.
- Diced celery – adds a tasty crunch to the dish.
- Green onions – the mild flavor of these onions pair well with the sweet ingredients while not being too overpowering.
- Sauce – A simple sauce made of mayonnaise, sour cream, chopped cilantro, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk it all together in a large bowl and add your chicken, fruits, and veggies. Easy!
How to Make Easy Curry Chicken Salad
Take all your chicken salad ingredients and combine them in one bowl. Slowly mix it all together to enjoy a delicious salad with chicken. The flavor is a savory and tasty salad that is perfect to have by itself or spoon it on a sandwich!
- Combine – Take all ingredients and combine them in a large bowl. You can also whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, curry powder, and lime juice together in a separate bowl first and then add to the other ingredients.
- Stir – Use a rubber spatula to gently stir all ingredients together until well combined. Allow to rest for at least 5 minutes to allow flavors to combine before serving. You can also refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Serve- You can serve the salad on its own, on croissants for chicken salad sandwiches, in butter lettuce bowls, or toss it with cooked rotini noodles to make a chicken curry pasta salad.
How to Serve the Best Curry Chicken Salad
This gorgeous salad looks pretty in a bowl on its own but is delicious served in a variety of ways. We love to make sandwiches or serve them with crackers and veggies like a charcuterie board. Serve this chicken and curry salad just the way you need it!
- Sandwich – Pile it on croissants or whole grain bread for a delicious sandwich.
- Charcuterie style – Serve it with a platter of crackers for scooping.
- Pitas – Slice pita bread in halves and stuff the chicken salad inside for a delicious pita sandwich.
- Lettuce wraps or bowls – Scoop the chicken salad into butter lettuce bowls. Use large leaves of lettuce to make lettuce wraps.
- Noodles – Toss with cooked rotini noodles to make an easy curry chicken pasta salad.
Make It Without Mayo
It’s easy to create the creaminess of a chicken salad dressing with mayonnaise. You can add extra protein by swapping the mayo out with plain Greek yogurt. Or use our delicious Pai Mai dressing recipe and add 1-2 teaspoons of curry powder. You’ll never miss the mayo!
“The combination of the curry with the classic chicken salad is AMAZING! I love how hearty and delicious this recipe is.”
-Valentina
FAQs
The substitute for curry powder is cumin and allspice. Both you can find in the seasoning aisle at your grocery store. They both bring warmth and sweetness similar to curry powder.
These are actually two different dishes. Curry chicken is larger pieces with curry seasoning that is sautéed or baked whereas chicken curry is a curry gravy or sauce that has smaller pieces of chicken with vegetables like onions and peppers.
Curry powder contains turmeric, cumin, ginger, and black pepper. Some blends may have garlic and cinnamon. It is known to be a sweet and savory powder with lots of flavor.
It may look pretty and taste delicious, but there are also many added health benefits to adding a bit of curry in your diet. Curry is known to help boost brain and digestive health, help you feel fuller longer and even lower blood sugar levels. Plus, it’s easy to add into soups, salads, and main dishes.
Serve this pretty salad on a bed of sliced tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and lettuce for a beautiful presentation. If you’re having curry chicken salad as a sandwich, a simple side of potato chips or fruit makes the perfect lunch or simple supper. It pairs great with other salads too, like this Easy Fruit Salad or our mom’s famous Macaroni Salad.
Storing Chicken Salad with Curry
It’s best to serve this curry chicken salad fresh or within a day or two of making it. You can refrigerate it or even freeze it if needed. Classic chicken salad recipe is the perfect side dish or salad to have at any given moment!
- Refrigerator – I love this salad the next day, so I always make sure to make enough to store in the refrigerator. As long as you keep it in an airtight container, it will stay nice and fresh in the fridge for three to five days. It is great to pull out as a quick snack or late-night supper.
- Freezing chicken salad – You can freeze the ingredients, minus the mayo, as mayonnaise doesn’t freeze well. Additionally, some of the fresh ingredients may not do super well in the freezer. A better idea would be to freeze the chicken, then throw the rest of the ingredients together when you want to make the dish.
More Curry Recipes
If you are a curry lover, then these recipes are just for you! Each recipe is unique in its own way but they all are delicious and full of flavor. You can’t go wrong trying one or all of these curry recipes today!
How to Make Curry Chicken Salad Recipe
Curry Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken (or cooked chicken)
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2/3 cup red grapes (sliced)
- 1/3 cup cashew halves
- 1/3 cup golden raisins
- 1/3 cup chopped celery
- 1/3 cup chopped Granny Smith apple (optional)
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl (you can also whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, curry powder, and lime juice together in a separate bowl first and then add to the other ingredients).
- Use rubber spatula to gently stir all ingredients together until well combined. Allow to rest at least 5 minutes to allow flavors to combine before serving. You can also refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Serve the salad on its own, on croissants (for chicken salad sandwiches), in butter lettuce bowls, or toss with cooked rotini noodles to make a chicken curry pasta salad.
I left out the raisins because my kids won’t eat them, but it was still oh so good! I served it on homemade rolls and we loved it. Can’t wait to try your suggestion of adding pasta to it.
Such an amazing salad!! So flavorful and really delicious!
The combination from the curry to the classic chicken salad is AMAZING! I love how hearty and delicious this recipe is.