Curried Chicken Salad

This easy Curried Chicken Salad makes the perfect sandwich, wrap, or low-carb lunch on a big bed of greens. This delicious, flavorful recipe uses almonds and fresh grapes, for just the right balance of crunch and sweetness.

If you’ve been paying crazy prices for Curried Chicken Salad at Whole Foods or your local deli, you’ve come to the right place. This classic chicken salad recipe is easy to make.  And thankfully, it costs so much less than the stuff at the salad bar.

Curry chicken salad has been popular for decades, and really, what’s not to love? Tender roasted chicken breast tossed with nuts, fruit, and celery in a fragrant turmeric-and-spice-scented mayonnaise dressing…yum. Add or subtract ingredients to make your version exactly the way you like it.

It will probably become your favorite lunch any day of the week.

Recipe ingredients:

Ingredient notes:

• Lemon juice: Or any kind of vinegar: white, champagne, or apple cider vinegar. Ina Garten uses white wine.
• Celery seed: I really like celery seed in chicken salad. But, if you don’t have it and you don’t want to buy it, it’s okay to leave it out.
• Chicken: Leftover rotisserie chicken works great in this recipe.
• Grapes: I prefer to quarter my grapes for chicken salad so they are roughly the same as everything else. But, it’s okay if you just cut them in half.
• Slivered almonds: To toast your almonds, cook them in medium skillet over medium heat until browned and fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. First, make the dressing. Whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, curry powder, celery seed, and salt and pepper.
   
2. Add the chopped chicken, celery, grapes, scallions, almonds, and parsley. Toss everything together until well combined, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
   

Recipe Tips and Variations:

• Leftovers: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Unfortunately this recipe does not freeze well.
• No mayo: Make the sauce with plain Greek yogurt instead.
• More mix-ins: Try shredded carrots, roasted cashews, Mango chutney, diced apples, raisins or cranberries, or some cooked quinoa.
• Lettuce wraps: Serve in lettuce cups or over a salad for a delicious light lunch.

More fresh lunch ideas:

• Ultimate Veggie Wrap
• Shrimp Salad
• Baby Boy Choy Salad with Sesame Dressing
• Farro Salad with Peas and Feta

Curried Chicken Salad

This easy Curried Chicken Salad makes the perfect sandwich, wrap, or low-carb lunch on a big bed of greens. This delicious, flavorful recipe uses almonds and fresh grapes, for just the right balance of crunch and sweetness.

5 from 2 votes

ReviewPrint

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 5 mins

Total Time 15 mins

Servings 8 servings

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Calories 271

Ingredients 

• ▢ 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
• ▢ 2 teaspoons curry powder
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon celery seed optional, see notes
• ▢ Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 4 cups cooked chicken cubed or shredded
• ▢ 2 celery ribs finely chopped
• ▢ 1 cup red seedless grapes halved or quartered (see notes)
• ▢ 4 scallions white and green parts, thinly sliced
• ▢ 1/2 cup slivered almonds or sliced almonds, toasted (see notes)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh parsley minced
• ▢ Bread or butter lettuce leaves, for serving

Instructions 

• In a large bowl, add mayonnaise, lemon juice, curry powder, celery seed, and salt and pepper to taste (I like ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper). Whisk to combine.
• Add chicken, celery, grapes, scallions, almonds, and parsley. Toss to coat. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve on bread or in lettuce cups.

Notes

1. Lemon juice: Or any kind of vinegar: white, champagne, or apple cider vinegar. Ina Garten uses white wine.
2. Celery seed: I really like celery seed in chicken salad. But, if you don't have it and you don't want to buy it, it's okay to leave it out.
3. Chicken: Leftover rotisserie chicken works great in this recipe.
4. Grapes: I prefer to quarter my grapes for chicken salad so they are roughly the same as everything else. But, it's okay if you just cut them in half.
5. Slivered almonds: To toast your almonds, cook them in medium skillet over medium heat until browned and fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 5 minutes. 
6. Leftovers: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Unfortunately this recipe does not freeze well.
7. No mayo: Make the sauce with plain Greek yogurt instead.
8. More mix-ins: Try shredded carrots, roasted cashews, Mango chutney, diced apples, raisins or cranberries, or some cooked quinoa.
9. Lettuce wraps: Serve in lettuce cups or over a salad for a delicious light lunch.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.75cupCalories: 271kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 20gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 152mgPotassium: 300mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 239IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 2mg

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