Name: 10-Minute Crunchy Curry Chicken Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 cooked chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes – about 3 cups; 1/2 cup chopped celery – about 2 stalks of celery; 2 large carrots – diced or chopped into small pieces; 1/4 cup diced red onion; 1/2 cup roasted and salted cashews chopped; 1/2 cup golden raisins; 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro – plus more for topping; 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt – I used full fat but fat free also works; 3 tablespoons mayo; 1-2 tablespoons yellow curry powder – more if you like it really spicy; 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey for sweetness; the juice of 1-2 limes – about 2 tablespoons – plus more for topping; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

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This Curry Chicken Salad is so creamy and crunchy and just perfect wrapped up in some lettuce cups or all on it’s own. Made up of roasted chicken breast, crisp carrots, celery, onion, cashews and raisins for sweetness. Topped with the most addictive dairy-free creamy curry yogurt sauce you will want to put on everything! It comes together in 10 minutes and is meal prep and kid-friendly.

Creamy curry chicken salad in a round glass bowl with a lime next to it with iron cilantro on top of it.

The Best Curry Chicken Salad Recipe

This Curry Chicken Salad recipe is so amazing and is kicked up a notch by including some Indian Inspired spices like curry mixed in with creamy yogurt and an array of crunchy veggies and nuts. Curry Chicken Salad is perfect for meal prepping and taking your meal to go!

I love a good, hearty chicken salad recipe because it has always been one of those recipes that is timeless yet so simple and easy to make. You can combine so many different flavors to make it your own and this recipe is one you will want to make over and over again. Like in this Cranberry Chicken Salad that also takes 10 minutes to make AND is DAIRY-FREE!

You may also want to check out this Vegan Chickpea Chicken Salad if you are looking for a meatless chicken salad recipe.

Why you will love this recipe

It is so crunchy and creamy
Very filling and satisfying and packed with lots of protein and veggies
Includes the most incredible spicy curry yogurt sauce you will love.
Can be made in 10 minutes!
It is great for meal prep and can be stored for up to 5 days.
There is just so much flavor and texture it’s amazing!
Full of vitamins, rich in antioxidants and fiber! Plus it tastes insanely delicious!

What you’ll need to make this healthy chicken salad recipe

chicken, veggies, yogurt and cilantro in bowls on a white surface

How To make this easy chicken salad recipe

Making curry chicken salad is very easy to do in only a few simple steps in 10 minutes or less!

Assemble the salad by adding all salad ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
Mix up the curry yogurt sauce in a small bowl by combining the greek yogurt, mayo, lime juice, curry powder, salt and pepper until it forms a smooth thick pale yellow or orange sauce.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything together.
Top with more lime juice, cashews and chopped cilantro.

It is so creamy and full of loads of texture and flavor. This is a healthy chicken salad recipe you will want to make all the time. Plus, it get’s even better as it sits. You can enjoy this salad inside lettuce cups, between two slices of bread, on top of some greens like spinach or arugula, or just all on its own. It is delicious not matter how you enjoy it.

It would be great with this easy kale salad.

Lettuce cups filled with healthy creamy chicken salad on a white surface

How to cook chicken for chicken salad

There are a few ways you can cook chicken for chicken salad. The easiest and fastest way is to buy a precooked rotisserie chicken at the grocery store. Which is great if you are short on time.

I prefer to use roasted or grilled chicken since it is also very flavourful and adds a nice bit of texture and seasoning. Plus, if you make it yourself then you can control the salt and seasoning, which I am a huge fan of.

For this recipe, I seasoned the chicken with a bit of olive oil, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper which is my preferred flavor combo for chicken. Then I cooked it in the air fryer.

In my opinion this Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breast is the way to go. It only took a few minutes and it comes out perfect every time. Plus you can make it in advance and have it ready to go!

You will want to let the chicken rest for a few minutes after cooking to allow the juices to distribute properly so that it doesn’t dry out. Because nobody wants dry chicken in their chicken salad right?

You can also roast the chicken breast in the oven at 425 degrees F for about 16-18 minutes, until the internal temperature reached 165 degrees F. Let it rest for at least 5 minutes then cut it up and make this chicken salad.

a round glass bowl filled with easy, creamy chicken salad topped with cilantro leaves with a spoon in the bowl and a lime wedge behind it.

How to store this curry chicken salad

You can easily store this salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, which makes it a great meal prep, make-ahead recipe.

How to serve this salad

As a sandwich wrap. You can use any type off tortillas or even collard greens to wrap some of this salad up and serve it as a delicious and healthy wrap.
Serve it as a salad. Add this chicken salad to a pile of crisp fresh greens and dig in!
Enjoys it as a snack. You could pile it on top of some sliced cucumber rounds or some gluten free crackers and enjoy it as a healthy mid-day snack.
Serve it in some lettuce cups. Choose your favorite type of lettuce, break it up into leaves and pile on some of this chicken salad to enjoy it as a low carb, healthy meal or snack.

Recipe Tips and Variations

To make this recipe dairy-free you can use vegan mayo in place of the greek yogurt.
Mix up the veggies and add in some diced cucumber or bell pepper.
You can use a shallot in place of the onion if the onion is too strong or you are making this recipe for your kids.
Add in some chopped apple or dried cranberries for more sweetness and flavor.
See recommendations in post for the best ways to cook chicken for chicken salad.
This chicken salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
If you are looking for a vegan chicken salad recipe than this Chickpea Chicken Salad is definitely your jam.

Looking for more chicken salad recipes to try? Check these out:

Did you make this recipe? If you did, then please leave a rating and comment below. You can also tag me on Instagram @pinchmegoodfood so I can see your creation.

10-Minute Crunchy Curry Chicken Salad