Curry Chicken Salad
Cooked chicken cut into bite-size cubes gives this cold curry chicken salad its chunky texture. A pale golden dressing of mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, curry powder, and lemon coats the chicken, while celery, raisins, cashews, and chives add crunch, sweetness, and fresh color.
Rotisserie chicken makes this a no-cook lunch that takes about 15 minutes to assemble. Serve it right away, or chill it for 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. Add the cashews just before serving so they stay crisp.
Ingredients for Curry Chicken Salad
- 1 1/2 pounds fully cooked, cooled chicken, cut into bite-size cubes (680g)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (110g)
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (60g)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 cup finely chopped celery (50g)
- 1/3 cup raisins (50g)
- 1/2 cup whole or roughly chopped cashews (65g)
- 2 tablespoons finely sliced fresh chives or green onion
- Optional: lemon wedges for serving
How to Make Curry Chicken Salad
- Prepare the chicken and mix-ins: Cut the cooled chicken into bite-size cubes. Chop the celery and slice the chives or green onion. Drain any liquid from the chicken, and pat the chicken and washed celery dry if they are wet.
- Whisk the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, curry powder, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until smooth and evenly pale golden. Taste and adjust the curry powder or lemon juice; curry powders vary in strength.
- Fold together: Put the chicken, celery, raisins, and most of the chives in a large bowl. Add the dressing and fold gently until the chicken is coated and the cubes remain distinct. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Chill or serve: Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. Drain any liquid that pools before serving.
- Add the cashews: Just before serving, fold in most of the cashews and scatter the rest over the top. Add the remaining chives and serve cold in a shallow bowl, with lemon wedges if desired.
How to Keep the Dressing Creamy
Wet chicken or celery can thin the dressing as the salad sits, so drain and dry them before mixing. Whisking the curry powder into the mayonnaise and yogurt first also distributes it evenly, without concentrated patches. The dressing should coat the chicken rather than pool at the bottom of the bowl; drain any collected liquid before serving.
Curry Chicken Salad Variations
For a tangier, less rich dressing, replace some or all of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt. Taste and adjust the lemon juice and salt after mixing.
For a different fruit-and-nut combination, replace the raisins with halved grapes and the cashews with toasted sliced almonds. Dry the grapes before adding them, and keep the almonds separate until serving. Raisins and cashews give the main version its intended sweet, crunchy contrast.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Cover and refrigerate the salad promptly in an airtight container; use leftovers within 3–4 days. If making it ahead, store the cashews separately and add them when serving. Serve the salad cold rather than reheating it. Freezing is not recommended for best texture because the creamy dressing and celery may change after thawing.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 4 servings (about 260g each): 615 calories, 58g protein, 38g fat, and 18g carbohydrates. Per 100g: about 235 calories, 22g protein, 14g fat, and 7g carbohydrates. Values vary with the chicken, mayonnaise, and yogurt used.
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Small bowl
- Whisk
- Large bowl
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 1/2 pounds fully cooked, cooled chicken, cut into bite-size cubes (680 g)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped celery (50 g)
- 1/3 cup raisins (50 g)
- 1/2 cup whole or roughly chopped cashews (65 g)
- 2 tablespoons finely sliced fresh chives or green onion
- Optional: lemon wedges for serving
For the Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (110 g)
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (60 g)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Cut the cooled chicken into bite-size cubes. Chop the celery and slice the chives or green onion.
- Drain any liquid from the chicken and pat the chicken and celery dry if they are wet.
- Whisk the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, curry powder, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until smooth.
- Taste the dressing and adjust the curry powder or lemon juice as desired.
- Combine the chicken, celery, raisins, and most of the chives in a large bowl.
- Add the dressing and fold gently until the chicken is coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Drain any liquid that pools before serving.
- Just before serving, fold in most of the cashews and scatter the rest over the top. Add the remaining chives and serve cold with lemon wedges, if desired.
Tips
- Drain and dry the chicken and celery before mixing to help keep the dressing creamy.
- Whisk the curry powder into the dressing before adding it to the chicken for an even flavor.
- Add the cashews just before serving so they stay crisp.
- Drain any liquid that pools in the salad before serving.
Variations
- Tangier Greek Yogurt Dressing: Replace some or all of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt, then adjust the lemon juice and salt to taste.
- Grape and Almond Version: Replace the raisins with halved grapes and the cashews with toasted sliced almonds. Dry the grapes and add the almonds just before serving.