Made with a rich and creamy curry dressing, this curried chicken salad is the perfect balance of salty, savory, and sweet, and makes a wonderful high-protein meal. Not to mention, it keeps well in the fridge so it makes a great meal prep idea too!
What is curried chicken salad?
Curried chicken salad, also known as curry chicken salad, is a style of chicken salad made with curry powder that has roots in British royalty. The dish is traditionally known as coronation chicken salad as it was created by Cordon Blue chefs for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation luncheon in 1953 (1).
The original dish served on the menu was called Poulet Reine Elizabeth and was made of poached chicken in a curry cream sauce with wine, mayonnaise, whipped cream, and apricot purée. Modern versions of this salad are much simple and commonly include curry powder, mayonnaise, and raisins in place of apricot purée.
Regardless of the exact method of preparation and ingredients in the original version, this quick and easy coronation-inspired curried chicken salad is the perfect recipe for a simple yet flavorful lunch.
Curry Chicken Salad Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make curried chicken salad:
- Chicken: Cooked and shredded or cubed chicken. You can use leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken, or bake some chicken breasts for this salad.
- Curry Powder: To create the signature curry dressing, use any blend of curry powder that you like, mild or spicy is fine.
- Mayonnaise: To make the creamy dressing, you can use homemade or store-bought mayo.
- Yogurt: To add a bit of tang to the dressing, Greek yogurt works best, just be sure to use plain.
- Lime Juice: A bit of acid to balance the dressing, you can use lemon juice if needed.
- Celery: To add a bit of crunch.
- Green Onion: For a bit of flavor and more crunch.
- Raisins: To add a bit of sweetness. This recipe calls for raisins or sultanas, but you can use grapes if you prefer.
- Cilantro: For flavor and color.
- Salt and Pepper: To season the salad.
- Nuts: While optional, you can add some chopped almonds or cashews.
Dietary Adaptions
To Make it Gluten-Free: No adaptations are needed, this recipe is gluten-free.
To Make it Dairy-Free: Swap the yogurt for more mayonnaise.
How to Make Curry Chicken Salad
- Make the curry dressing. Add the mayonnaise, yogurt, curry powder, lime juice, salt, and pepper to a bowl and whisk until well combined.
- Chop the chicken. Shred or dice the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Make the salad. Add the chicken, celery, green onion, raisins, cilantro, and nuts to a bowl.
- Mix in the dressing. Cover the chicken mixture with the curry dressing, stirring until everything is well combined and the chicken is well coated with the dressing.
- Serve as desired! Once mixed, the chicken salad can be served immediately on its own, with bread, salad, or sides of your choice.
The detailed instructions for the recipe can be found in the recipe card below.
Red’s Nutrition Tip
While mayonnaise has a reputation for being unhealthy, in reality, mayonnaise is merely a combination of oil, egg yolks, mustard, and lemon juice, all of which are healthy whole foods. Although some store-bought mayonnaise brands contain additional ingredients, it’s easy to find high-quality mayo in grocery stores, not to mention, you can easily make homemade mayonnaise in a matter of minutes!
What to Serve with Curry Chicken Salad
Curried chicken salad can be enjoyed on its own as a high-protein meal or served with a source of complex carbohydrates and/or fiber as a more well-balanced meal. Suggestions include:
- Bread – Turn curry chicken salad into a hearty sandwich with your favorite bread, I suggest using sourdough or sprouted grain bread.
- Wrap – Fill a wrap with chicken salad and lettuce for a quick and easy lunch.
- Lettuce Wrap – Wrap curry chicken salad in lettuce for a lower carb and calorie option.
- Crackers – Serve curry chicken salad as a high-protein dip with crackers.
- Green Salad – Top a green salad with a generous portion of curry chicken salad for a filling high-fiber meal.
