Description
This Best Crunchy Curry Chicken Salad combines tender cooked chicken with a vibrant mix of crunchy vegetables, sweet golden raisins, and toasted cashews, all brought together with a creamy, flavorful curry yogurt dressing. Ready in just 10 minutes, this salad is a perfect quick and healthy lunch or light dinner option bursting with textures and a hint of spice.
Ingredients
Salad 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
Dressing Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (full fat or fat-free)
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1-2 tablespoons yellow curry powder (adjust to taste)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- Juice of 1-2 limes – about 2 tablespoons, plus more for topping
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the Salad Ingredients: Add the cubed cooked chicken, chopped celery, diced carrots, diced red onion, chopped roasted cashews, golden raisins, and chopped fresh cilantro to a large mixing bowl, combining all the solid components evenly.
- Make the Curry Yogurt Dressing: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the plain Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, yellow curry powder, maple syrup or honey, lime juice, kosher salt, and ground black pepper until the mixture is a smooth, thick, pale yellow or orange sauce, ensuring all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Toss the Salad: Pour the prepared curry yogurt dressing over the salad ingredients in the large bowl. Gently toss everything together until all the pieces are evenly coated with the flavorful dressing.
- Garnish and Serve: Finish the salad by topping with additional lime juice, extra chopped cilantro, and more roasted cashews for added crunch and freshness. Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.
Notes
- You can adjust the amount of curry powder to control the spiciness of the salad.
- Full-fat Greek yogurt gives a richer dressing, but fat-free yogurt works well just the same.
- For a sweeter touch, use honey or maple syrup based on your preference.
- This salad is best served fresh but can be refrigerated for up to 1-2 days; the cashews may soften over time.
- Substitute mayonnaise with a vegan version to make the dish vegetarian-friendly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
