I was definitely slow to get on the curry bandwagon. In fact, I distinctly remember not liking curry spices for the first 20 years of my life. Luckily, people grow and change over time and I eventually came around to curry (thanks to recipes like quick curried chickpeas!). Now I just want to put curry in everything, like this Curry Chicken Salad!
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Out of all of the recipes I’ve made with curry spices, this Curry Chicken Salad might just be my favorite. Something about the curry with the creamy mayo/yogurt dressing is just perfect! Not to mention the subtle sweetness of the raisins to balance the earthy spices and ALL THAT CRUNCH. …Mmmm.
Chicken salad is never really “cheap”, but when you get your chicken on sale, it approaches affordable. And then when you consider the fact that you can sometimes pay $10/lb. for pre-made chicken salad at the deli, this is actually quite a steal. So, even if you have to save this for a special occasion, bookmark this recipe because you won’t be sorry you did!
Mayo-Yogurt Combo Magic
I chose to use both mayonnaise and yogurt in the dressing for this Curry Chicken Salad because they each have their own unique flavor qualities that they bring to the party. Yogurt is light and tangy and is a classic pairing with curry spices, while mayonnaise offers a deep creaminess. If you need to you, you can just use yogurt or just use mayonnaise, but I’m telling you that the combination fo the two is magic. ;)
Can I Use Rotisserie Chicken for this Curry Chicken Salad?
Absolutely. If you don’t want to go through the process of cooking your own chicken breast or happen to have leftover rotisserie chicken, go ahead and chop it up and use it in this recipe. You’ll probably want about 3 cups of chopped chicken for this recipe.
Love chicken salad? You might also like Chicken Salad with Apples or Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Salad.
Curry Chicken Salad
Servings 4 1 cup eachIngredients
DRESSING
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise ($0.41)
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt ($0.19)
- 1 tsp lemon juice ($0.02)
- 1/2 tsp honey ($0.02)
- 1 tsp curry powder ($0.10)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- freshly cracked pepper ($0.02)
SALAD
- 2.5 cups chopped cooked chicken* ( $2.95)
- Pinch salt & pepper ($0.05)
- 2 stalks celery ($0.34)
- 3 whole green onions ($0.12)
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds ($0.87)
- 1/2 cup raisins ($0.57)
Instructions
- Make the dressing by stirring together the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, honey, curry powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Taste the dressing and adjust the curry powder or salt if needed.
- Season both sides of the chicken breasts with a light sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook the chicken breast in either a countertop grill or in a skillet until cooked through. Allow the cooked chicken breast to cool while you prepare the rest of the salad.
- Finely dice the celery and slice the green onions. Place the green onion, celery, sliced almonds, and raisins in a large bowl.
- Chop the chicken into small cubes and place them in the bowl with the celery, onion, almonds, and raisins. Stir to combine. Pour the dressing over top and stir to coat.
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Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Curry Chicken Salad – Step By Step Photos
To make the dressing for the Curry Chicken Salad, combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup plain yogurt, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp honey, 1 tsp curry powder, 1/4 tsp salt, and some freshly cracked pepper.
Stir the dressing together, give it a taste, and adjust the salt, honey, or curry powder if needed (every brand of curry powder is a bit different, so you may prefer more or less). Refrigerate the dressing until you’re ready for it.
You’ll need about 2.5 cups chopped cooked chicken, which for me was two chicken breasts, or about 1.5 lbs. when raw.
Season the chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper, then cook it using a grill or in a skillet. I used a grill pate that fits on top of my range top, but you can also use something like a George Foreman Grill, or a cast iron skillet. Another easy option is to use a store bought rotisserie chicken.
Allow the chicken to cool while you prepare the rest of the salad, then chop it into small pieces.
While the chicken is cooling, you can prepare the rest of the salad. Finely dice 2 ribs of celery and slice 3 green onions.
Add the chopped chicken, diced celery, sliced green onions, 1/2 cup sliced almonds, and 1/2 cup raisins to a large bowl (I used golden raisins).
Add the prepared curry dressing…
Then stir until everything is coated in dressing. And then it’s ready to eat! I ate a bunch just by itself with a fork, but it would also be good with crackers or stuffed into a pita.
I don’t have any trouble with mayonnaise… actually I don’t have any trouble with any of this, but I cook for someone who really can’t have any dairy. I don’t usually like the taste of most dairy-free cheeses so I cook around them with other substitutions, but some of the plant-based milks are okay (still not frequently used in my cooking). Have any of you had any good luck with soy or almond based yogurt? Or is there another substitution I could make? Maybe some of the coconut cream from the top of the can? I do like coconut milk curries quite a lot.
I haven’t used any soy or almond yogurts, but you might try a vegan mayonnaise. The only reason that I don’t think coconut cream will work is because it doesn’t have the tartness/acidity that mayonnaise and yogurt have. It’s quite bland.
Can I use greek yogurt?
Yes, but it will change the flavor to more tangy and less creamy.
I use pecans instead of almonds, grapes instead of raisins. I don’t use lemon juice or yougurt. Its one of my favorite things to eat. the curry powder really sets it off.
I have a weird aversion to mayonnaise, so I used 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt for the dressing. The consistency was still fine, and the curry spice was delish! I added a little cilantro too just to throw another flavor into the mix
This is literally one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. I could eat this all day every day and never regret a second of it. I never liked curry, perhaps because the only time I made it, I used an awful recipe and it was gross, but now curry powder is one of my favorite spices. I love to eat this just over some chopped lettuce. You mix everything together and the sauce from the chicken acts as a dressing. Super delish!
Fantastic! I used like 6 tsps of curry powder and 1 tsp garam masala. I also used lemonaise instead of mayo, and shredded cabbage/coleslaw base in place of green onions. We LOVED it, and will absolutely make it again.
I usually omit the almonds and add some chopped apple. And I second the idea of adding a bit of chutney–really makes the flavors pop. I like the spicy ones, but any variety will work.
I also add a tablespoon or more of chutney–usually Major Grey, but often a spicier type. I chop the larger pieces of mango (just in the bowl with the rest of the dressing elements) Because it adds moisture, I can cut back an equal amount of mayo. It will give the salad a sweeter and more intense flavor.
Just made this tonight for dinner. AMAZING! The dressing is perfect and the sweetness of the raisens and crunch of the celery is great! This is better than any chicken salad from the deli/store…and cheaper! This will definately be a regular recipe in my kitchen! Beth, thanks for another great recipe! Can’t live without your many great recipes!
I made this tonight using leftover rotisserie chicken and, because my husband can’t eat onions, I put in diced apple instead. The dressing is delicious! Thank you so much!
This Curry Chicken Salad looks like something I paid a lot of money for at a fancy little shop near my house! looks awesome and really smart idea for a blog!
Hi Beth, what a delicious but very affordable recipe! Your budget-friendly ideas are so creative. Thanks for sharing! – Ramona from Sam’s Club
We make this all the time in the summer when it’s too hot to cook. I generally get a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and shred it. At $6.99 for a whole, flaa-off-the-bone tender chicken, it’s pretty affordable. Plus, we use green grapes instead of raisins. They still add sweetness, but also have that pop of tart.
Amazing! I didn’t have raisins but had a ripe apricot lying around so threw that in, it was great! I also used walnuts instead of almonds as that is all I had on hand. Thanks again Beth for all you do!
This was DELICIOUS!!! :) Mmmm. I used Miracle Whip and Greek Yogurt (what I had on hand) and added a little extra onion. I’m trying not to lick the bowl…