Ultimate Curry Chicken Salad (Print View)
Tender chicken with crisp vegetables, sweet fruit, and creamy curry dressing
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lbs)
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ Salad Base
05 - ¾ cup celery, finely diced
06 - ½ cup red onion, finely diced
07 - 1 medium apple, cored and diced
08 - ½ cup seedless red grapes, halved
09 - ⅓ cup toasted cashews or almonds, roughly chopped
10 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
→ Curry Dressing
11 - ½ cup mayonnaise
12 - ¼ cup Greek yogurt
13 - 2 tablespoons mango chutney
14 - 1½ teaspoons curry powder
15 - ½ teaspoon turmeric
16 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
17 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
18 - 1 teaspoon honey
19 - ½ teaspoon salt
20 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
# How to Make It:
01 - Season both sides of chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken 7 to 8 minutes per side until fully cooked and juices run clear. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes.
02 - Dice or shred cooled chicken into bite-sized pieces and transfer to large mixing bowl.
03 - Add celery, red onion, apple, grapes, toasted nuts, and cilantro or parsley to the bowl with chicken.
04 - In separate small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, mango chutney, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper until smooth and well blended.
05 - Pour curry dressing over chicken mixture. Gently toss until all ingredients are evenly coated.
06 - Taste salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as desired.
07 - Cover bowl and refrigerate at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Serve chilled as salad, in sandwiches or wraps, or over bed of greens.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The curry dressing hits this perfect sweet-savory balance that keeps everyone guessing what's in it
- It's one of those rare dishes that actually tastes better the next day, making meal prep feel like a treat
02 -
- Never skip the chilling step because the curry flavor needs time to develop from merely present to absolutely essential
- Dry your celery and apples thoroughly after washing because excess water will turn your dressing watery and sad
03 -
- Toast your curry powder in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding it to the dressing, it deepens the flavor remarkably
- Grate a tiny bit of fresh ginger into the dressing if you want to elevate it from great to unforgettable