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Curried Chicken Salad Salad

May 21, 2024

The 1980’s knew a thing or two about delicious food, and one of the things that decade knew was that a big dose of curry powder is just what chicken salad needed to become interesting again.

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salad greens topped with cucumbers, tomatoes and curried chicken salad drizzled with homemade dressing
Photography by Gayle McLeod

Salad-Topper, Sandwich-Filler, Or Straight-From-The-Bowl Snack

The 1980’s knew a thing or two about delicious food, and one of the things that decade knew was that a good sprinkle of curry powder is just what classic chicken salad needed to become interesting again. Dotted with just-sweet-enough golden raisins, tender chicken pieces and crisp celery are coated in a vibrant yellow, curry powder-spiked dressing. We love it in a sandwich, and straight out of the bowl, but our favorite way to eat it just might be on top of a big green salad. Thus, we’re sharing this curried chicken salad recipe as a curried chicken salad SALAD! For more chicken salad goodness, try our Chicken Salad!

chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and other ingredients in bowls to make curried chicken salad salad

What Makes This Curry Chicken Salad Healthy?

Regular chicken salad—the kind with tons of mayo—doesn’t exactly fall into the category of “health food”. But this flavorful curry chicken salad recipe is super duper healthy (and delicious, too). Here’s why:

  1. Instead of a classic mayonnaise-based chicken salad dressing, our chicken salad recipe uses plain Greek yogurt as its creamy based. Rich and tangy, yogurt is a much healthier choice than mayonnaise, but still makes for a nice creamy chicken salad.
  2. Curry powder! While Greek yogurt is a great sub for mayo, it (obviously) does taste a little different. Adding big flavor—hello, curry powder—helps to make up for the swap!
  3. Chicken breast! Simply cooked, boneless, skin breast is about as healthy as you can get. Filling, protein-packed and low-fat, it’s a no-brainer health food and it makes up the bulk of this simple salad.
celery, scallions, golden raisins, greek yogurt, lemon juice, honey, spices and chicken in a large bowl
celery, scallions, golden raisins, greek yogurt, lemon juice, honey, spices and chicken in a large bowl

Curry Chicken Salad—Simple Ingredients, Big Flavor.

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this healthy curry chicken salad recipe at home:

  • Cooked chicken breast. You could shred it off a store-bought rotisserie chicken, or you can easily cook it yourself. Poached is our favorite simple method.
  • Celery.
  • Scallions.
  • Golden raisins. Raisins can be weirdly divisive, so we’ll just include this little caveat right now—if you hate raisins, you can leave them out! This chicken salad will be no less delicious. The inclusion of grapes or raisins in curried chicken salad is classic, but we’re not sticklers. You do you!
  • Plain Greek yogurt. Full fat Greek yogurt will make the chicken salad extra creamy, but if you’re trying to really limit fat or calories, use low fat.
  • Lemon.
  • Honey.
  • Cayenne pepper.
  • Curry powder.
olive oil, rice wine vinegar, honey, salt and pepper being whisked in a bowl
salad greens topped with cucumbers, tomatoes and curried chicken salad being drizzled with homemade dressing

How To Make Curry Chicken Salad Salad:

As we mentioned, our very favorite way to serve curried chicken salad is over a big green salad. The creamy, meaty, spiced chicken salad, speared onto a fork along with a lightly dressed bite of crisp lettuce? That’s basically our ultimate perfect lunch food, right there. Here’s how to put it all together:

  1. Make the curry chicken salad. Here’s a secret: chicken salad is really, really easy to make. Pretty much just dump and stir. If it seems dry, add a little extra yogurt.
  2. Whisk together the salad dressing. We’ve gone for a simple combo of rice wine vinegar, honey and oil—the light sweetness of the honey and rice wine vinegar echo the flavors in the curry chicken salad and are delicious over simple greens.
  3. Assemble! Gather your greens, tomatoes and cucumbers. Scoop some chicken salad on top, and dress! Dig in.
salad greens topped with cucumbers, tomatoes and curried chicken salad drizzled with homemade dressing

Tools You’ll Need:

More Easy Salad Recipes:

Having salad for lunch somehow became synonymous with “depressing”, and we’d really like to change that conversation. Salad can be GREAT. Healthy, fast, easy—salads are a brilliant thing to have for lunch, and they don’t have to be boring in the slightest. Here are a few of our faves:

salad greens topped with cucumbers, tomatoes and curried chicken salad drizzled with homemade dressing

Chicken Salad For Lunch! Chicken Salad for Dinner! Chicken Salad for ALL!

Did you try this chicken salad salad recipe? Or did you make it into a curry chicken salad sandwich? However you tried it, did you love it? Let us know! Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!

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Curried Chicken Salad Salad

  • Serves:  6
  • Prep Time:  25 min
  • Cook Time:  15 min
  • Calories:  372

Ingredients

  • 3 cups chicken breast, shredded
  • 3 celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 1 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • mixed greens
  • english cucumber, thinly sliced
  • cherry tomatoes, halved

Salad Dressing

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 6 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • freshly ground pepper

Method

  1. In a large bowl combine all ingredients except mixed greens, cucumber and tomatoes. Mix until fully combined. If you find it to be too dry, add more yogurt 1 tablespoon at a time.
  2. In a small bowl whisk together ingredients for dressing.
  3. To assemble, scoop one cup of the chicken salad onto a bed of lettuce. Add tomatoes and cucumbers and then add dressing.

Nutrition Info

  • Per Serving
  • Amount
  • Calories 372
  • Protein 19 g
  • Carbohydrates 26 g
  • Total Fat 19 g
  • Dietary Fiber 4 g
  • Cholesterol 60 mg
  • sodium 388 mg
  • Total Sugars 21 g

Curried Chicken Salad Salad

Questions & Reviews

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  • Randi

    Made this tonight exactly as posted and it was FANTASTIC! My husband can't wait to put the leftovers in a sandwich tomorrow. This will be a repeat meal for us for sure! Great way to use all the tomatoes, green onions, and cucumbers we have in the garden :)

    Thanks Randi, we are so glad you loved it!

  • Jenn

    This is so good! I love to have it on hand for a couple lunches throughout the week. The curry is such a yummy addition as opposed to regular chicken salad. Thank you!

    Thanks Jenn! We are so glad you liked it!