This curry chicken salad takes the concept of a classic chicken salad and gives it a unique, spiced-up twist! It features sweet raisins, crunchy cashews, and crisp celery tossed in a creamy, curried dressing with fresh cilantro.

If this recipe is your kind of jam, you’ll also love my Avocado Chicken Egg Salad and this fantastic Hawaiian Macaroni Salad!

 

Here’s a story about how I jazzed up a classic chicken salad into something really spectacular. I was thinking about how much we love to shake things up in the kitchen here, always adding a little twist to our favorites. Thus, one afternoon, I was in the mood for something familiar yet with a bit of a kick, so I added some bold spices to my usual chicken salad recipe and came up with this curried chicken salad!

It has all the classics—succulent chicken, crisp celery, and crunchy nuts—but I threw in some sweet raisins and spiced it all up with curry powder and a dash of turmeric in the creamy mayo dressing. It’s seriously tasty!

You can slap it on some bread, scoop it into lettuce cups, or grab some homemade naan and dig in. Any way you serve it, this curried chicken salad is a fun and flavorful twist on a good old classic that you’ve got to try. Trust me, it makes lunch anything but boring!

Why You’ll Love This Curry Chicken Salad Recipe

A unique twist on a classic. Everyone loves a good old-fashioned chicken salad. This recipe takes the much-loved classic and adds an Indian-inspired spin with curry powder, turmeric, and cilantro.

Versatile. There are so many different ways to serve a chicken salad. Between two slices of sandwich bread, on a salad, in lettuce wraps, with Lavash bread—you name it!

Customizable. In the mood to get creative? This recipe is a great canvas for experimentation. Swap out the chicken for chickpeas, try different nuts or dried fruits, or go with a totally different flavor profile. It’s all up to you.

What You’ll Need

Take your shopping cart and wander the aisles while grabbing all the ingredients you’ll need to make a curry chicken salad recipe. Scroll to the recipe card below for precise measurements.

For the chicken

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts – Boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken tenders would also work.
• Salt and black pepper – To season the chicken for flavor.
• Olive oil – To coat the chicken.

To make the dressing

• Mayonnaise – Not a mayo person? Use plain or Greek yogurt instead.
• Greek yogurt – If you want to skip the yogurt and use just mayo, that’s Ay-Ok.
• Honey – Agave would work just as well.
• Spices – Curry powder and turmeric. The turmeric is optional, but it does bring a pretty yellow/orange color to the salad.

For the salad

• Veggies – Celery and red onion.
• Raisins – You could swap the raisins out for cranberries or chopped dried apricots if you’d like.
• Apple – I used a Honeycrisp apple, but you can use any varietal you’d like.
• Dry roasted cashews – Feel free to use walnuts or pistachios instead.
• Fresh chopped cilantro – Not a cilantro person? Parsley will work just fine.
• Salt and pepper – Used to enhance the flavors of the salad.

How To Make Curry Chicken Salad

This not-so-classic chicken salad brings a delicious twist to your table. Follow these simple steps to create a curried chicken salad that’s packed with flavor and textures.

1. Prep. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Roast the chicken. Rub the chicken with salt, pepper, and olive oil until well-coated. Bake for 20 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the largest breast reads 165°F. Remove the chicken from the oven and rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting it into cubes.
3. Make the dressing. Whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, honey, curry powder, and turmeric in a small mixing bowl.
4. Assemble the salad. Combine the chicken, celery, onion, raisins, apples, cashews, and cilantro in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat.
5. Season. Taste the salad and season it with salt and pepper. If you’d like to add some extra curry powder, you can do that too.
6. Chill. Let the chicken salad cool to room temperature, then cover it with plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight.
7. Serve. Serve it cold in lettuce wraps or between two slices of bread.

Serving Suggestions

My favorite way to enjoy this chicken salad is between two slices. Grab your favorite loaf of bread from the store or make your own slow cooker bread. I’ve even been known to serve it wrapped up in a flour tortilla or leave the bread behind and scoop it up with lettuce wraps.

A chicken salad sandwich pairs nicely with cajun fries (they’re SO good!) or with a side of lemon rice, too! If you need something lighter, try my berry avocado salad or any other salad. For a tasty twist, substitute the chicken in my famous cobb salad with this curry chicken salad.

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

Seal any leftover chicken curry salad in an airtight container. You can store it in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge before diving back in.

More Easy Salad Recipes

• Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
• La Scala Chopped Salad
• Mediterranean White Bean Salad
• Grilled Mexican Corn Chicken Salad