This curried chicken salad is a flavorful and vibrant twist on the classic chicken salad. It’s easy to make with diced cooked chicken, juicy red grapes, crisp celery, plump raisins, crunchy pistachios, and tossed in a creamy curry dressing.

Back when I was working at my first job after graduating from college, I used to love grabbing the Bombay chicken salad from my local deli. It was fragrant, perfectly spiced, and hit all the right notes for a quick lunch.

The summer months are my favorite for making either my classic chicken salad or this wonderful curried chicken salad. I love serving it on a croissant sandwich for lunch, with crackers, or in lettuce cups for a healthy snack.

It’s perfect for meal prep and I like knowing that I have something that I can pull out of the fridge when the craving hits.

Table of Contents

Curried chicken salad ingredients

Chicken: You need 2 cups of diced cooked chicken to this make curried chicken salad recipe. That’s about 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Or you can use leftover rotisserie chicken.

Mayonnaise: This is the base of the creamy dressing. Use your favorite brand of mayonnaise or cut some of the mayo with plain Greek yogurt to make it healthy.

Curry powder: I use the Simply Organic brand of yellow curry powder. This is a mild Indian curry powder that’s a mix of aromatic spices.

Mango chutney: I use Patak’s Sweet Mango Chutney in this recipe. It’s a sweet and savory condiment that adds incredible flavor to this curried chicken salad.

Fresh lime juice: This adds a bright flavor that cuts through the heavy mayonnaise.

Fresh ginger: This adds a zesty kick that goes great with the fruit and nut combination.

Salt and freshly ground black pepper: This helps to make all the flavors pop.

Grapes: I like using seedless red grapes in this curried chicken salad. This adds a juicy burst of flavor and a nice pop of color.

Red grapes are my favorite because they are sweeter than green grapes.

Celery: This adds a satisfying crunch to the salad that balances out the richness of the creamy mayonnaise.

Raisins: The chewy raisins help balance the warm and aromatic curry dressing. I recommend using golden or sultanas raisins.

If you don’t like raisins, you can substitute with dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots.

Pistachios: I like adding roasted salted pistachios to this curried chicken salad because they provide an excellent crunch.

If you don’t like pistachios, you can use toasted sliced almonds or roasted salted cashews.

Green onions: This adds a mild onion flavor to the dish. If you don’t like green onions, you can use finely diced red onion.

Cilantro: This adds a fresh and herbaceous flavor to the salad. If you don’t like cilantro, you can use chopped parsley instead.

How to make curried chicken salad

Make the dressing. In a large bowl, add the mayonnaise, yellow curry powder, mango chutney (if using), fresh lime juice, grated ginger, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine.

Combine the salad ingredients and chill. Add the chicken to the bowl with the prepared dressing, along with the grapes, celery, raisins, pistachios, green onions, and cilantro (or parsley if using).

Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Cover and let chill in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.

How to enjoy curried chicken salad

Similar to my classic chicken salad, tuna salad, or egg salad, you can enjoy this curried chicken salad for lunch or a light dinner.

Chicken Salad Sandwich: Spread it over toasted bread or in a croissant.

Chicken Salad Wrap: Scoop the chicken salad into a pita or tortilla wrap.

Chicken Salad with Crackers: Enjoy this chicken salad with crackers.

Chicken Salad Lettuce Cups: Enjoy it wrapped in Romaine lettuce boats or Bibb or butter lettuce cups.

Chicken Salad with a spoon: Eat it straight from the bowl with a spoon. Why not?

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

This chicken salad recipe is perfect for meal prep. It tastes best after chilling in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Leftover chicken salad can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

How long can curried chicken salad be left out of the fridge? Chicken salad should not be left out of the fridge for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if it’s a really hot day).

Please let me know how you like this curried chicken salad recipe in the comments below! Your feedback and review encourages me to keep creating new and yummy recipes. I hope you love this chicken salad as much as I do.