Curried Chicken Salad (2024)

My Curried Chicken Salad with Grapes is a delicious, protein-packed salad that's infused with a mixture of savory and sweet flavors. Red grapes, toasted almonds, and celery add plenty of color and crunch. Enjoy this chicken salad on a bed of greens for dinner and use the leftovers to make tasty sandwiches for lunch the next day!

Once the weather starts getting warmer, I’m ready to transition from hearty, stick-to-your-ribs comfort foods to lighter, healthier dishes. Some of my favorite summer salads are my Southwest Chicken Salad (Santa Fe Salad), Summer Citrus Salad with Grilled Chicken, and Quinoa Salad with Spinach and Strawberries.

My Curried Chicken Salad with Grapes is the perfect light dish that will fill you up without weighing you down. It has a mixture of savory and sweet flavors and plenty of ingredients to add color and crunch. It’s delicious on a sandwich or as a salad topper piled on a bed of crisp, spring greens.

Lightened Up Retro Dish

Curried chicken salad is a retro dish that's classically made with diced chicken tossed in a creamy mayonnaise-based dressing. The unique flavor of the dish comes from the combination of the warm curry powder spice mixed with sweet fruit chutney and bright lemon or lime juice.

To lighten up this chicken salad with curry, I make my dressing mostly with Greek yogurt and just enough mayonnaise to retain the classic flavor. I use the same trick in my chicken salad with grapes and almonds.

Swapping a portion of mayonnaise withGreek yogurtis a simple way to lighten up your recipes and boost their nutritional value.

Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is one of my favorite ingredients to use in the kitchen, whether it’s breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert. It's so versatile! Some of my favorite dishes with Greek yogurt are Grilled Peaches with Greek Yogurt, Pineapple Banana Smoothie, and Salmon Burgers with Dill Yogurt Sauce.

Greek yogurt is also very nutritious. It's packed with protein and probiotics. It's also an excellent source of calcium. To learn more, read my post all about Greek yogurt nutrition.

Greek yogurt is naturally thick and creamy so it gives the dressing a nice texture.And the tanginess of the yogurt works well with the savory curry powder. After all, yogurt is a natural accompaniment to Indian food.

To add texture and color to the salad, I mix in a bunch of nutritious ingredients including red grapes, celery, scallions, and heart-healthy almonds.

Ingredients For Curry Chicken Salad

• Cooked chicken breast- you can cook your own chicken breast or use rotisserie chicken. This is also a great dish to use up leftover roast chicken. You can dice it up into cubes or shred it.
• Greek yogurt- I use 2% plain Greek yogurt
• Mayonnaise- I use only 2 tablespoons for 4 servings, which is significantly less than the classic dish
• Curry powder- rich in antioxidants! There are many different variations of curry powder that you can buy from the store. Each one will add a unique flavor to this dish. I use a standard mild curry powder.
• Mango chutney- the sweetness of the mango chutney nicely balances out the spice of the curry powder. You can substitute apricot preserves or honey.
• Lemon juice- adds brightness to round out the sweet and savory flavors
• Red grapes- I love the pop of sweetness that fresh grapes add to this dish! It's one of my favorite things about this recipe. However, you can substitute other fresh fruit like diced apples or dried fruit like raisins or cranberries.
• Celery- add the crunch factor that's classic in chicken salad
• Scallions- add color and a mild onion flavor without being overpowering
• Sliced almonds- I love the flavor and texture of sliced almonds in this salad (toasting them adds even more flavor). However, you can substitute other nuts like cashews, pecans or walnuts.

Instructions

This curried chicken salad couldn't get any easier! Simply whisk all of the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl.

Then, throw in some cooked chicken, grapes, celery, scallions, and almonds. Stir it all up, season to taste with salt and pepper, and you're done!

How To Serve This Dish

I usually make a large batch of this curry chicken salad with grapes so that I can enjoy it for a couple of days. Here are some ways to enjoy it:

• Make a green salad and top it with a scoop of this chicken salad
• Sandwich it between two pieces of bread to make a tasty sandwich
• Wrap it up in a tortilla with some lettuce for a delicious lunch
• Serve it on butter lettuce leaves to make delicious low carb lettuce wraps
• Spoon it onto crackers, crostini, mini croissants or cucumber slices for an elegant appetizer
• Serve it in a bowl with toasted pita or naan wedges for scooping it up

Storage

You can store this chicken salad with curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It doesn't freeze and defrost well so I wouldn't recommend freezing.

Have you ever wonderedhow long chicken can sit outbefore you need to toss it? Read my post all about how to properly handle and store chicken to help ensure that it's always safe to eat!

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About the author

Dr. Sonali Ruder

Meet Dr. Sonali Ruder aka The Foodie Physician- ER doctor, chef, culinary creator & mom.

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