Healthy Curry Chicken Salad
You’re going to love my healthy curry chicken salad!
It’s a simple creamy curry chicken salad with made with a mayo-yogurt curry dressing, chunks of chicken breast, sliced grapes, crunchy cucumber and toasted almonds stuffed in lettuce cups.
It’s the best no-cook healthy lunch!
How to make healthy curry chicken salad
Featured Ingredients
For the curry dressing:
- Mayonnaise: This provides the creamy and rich element to the dressing.
- Also, it helps to thin out the thick Greek yogurt.
- Greek Yogurt: This provides the amazing tang to the salad!
- Also, this type of yogurt is incredibly versatile.
- It works well in both sweet and savory dishes, and can also be a substitute for sour cream on baked potatoes or drizzled on soups.
- It’s one of those ingredients that we always have on hand because it’s so delicious in multiple applications!
- Lime: The citrus of the lime rounds out the flavors in the dressing.
- It also adds a bit of sweetness and zing to the salad!
- Honey: This brings a subtle sweetness to the salad, that pairs perfectly with the curry!
- Curry Powder: This brings the earthy heat, and is the star of the salad!
For the chicken salad:
- Chicken: We really like chicken breasts in this recipe, but chicken thighs would be delicious too!
- And of course we never scoff at some store-bought rotisserie chicken for nights when you’re too busy – or hot – to cook.
- Red seedless grapes: These grapes are firm, crisp, and sweet, which makes them perfect for salads.
- Also, they’re an incredible source of vitamin C, and vitamin K.
- Along with being a fantastic source of calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium.
- They’re also high in antioxidants! So, eat your vitamins in this curry chicken salad!
- Jalapeno: It’s up to you when it comes to the heat level of the jalapeno.
- If you want it really spicy, you’ll just dice it up.
- If you want the heat to be subdued, remove the seeds and ribs of the pepper.
- And of course if you really want to bring the heat, you could add in a habanero!
- English cucumber: This ingredient will tame the heat from the curry and the jalapeno.
- It also adds a bright crunch to the salad!
- Cilantro: This magical little herb tastes fresh and citrusy.
- And although we see it a lot in Mexican cooking, it pairs perfectly with curry because it elevates the flavors!
- Boston bibb lettuce: This type of lettuce is absolutely the cutest thing for salad cups!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Whisk together the mayo, yogurt, lime, honey, curry powder, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper in a medium glass bowl.
- Taste and the adjust seasoning, if necessary.
- Fold in the chicken, grapes, cucumber, jalapeno and cilantro and stir to combine.
- Place the lid on the container and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Arrange lettuce cups on a platter and fill with scoops of the curry chicken salad.
- Top with almonds or cashews and additional cilantro, if desired.
How to serve curry chicken salad
- As-is: You can eat it with a spoon, if you wish!
- In lettuce cups: Grab a head of bibb or Boston lettuce and peel apart to layers to make little lettuce cups/wraps and stuff the chicken salad inside.
- On whole grain bread: Make the curry chicken salad into a sandwich with your favorite soft bread.
- With crackers: This salad is also delicious when heaped up on your favorite hearty crackers.
Nutrition Considerations
- To make it gluten free: This recipe is gluten free.
- Be sure all packaged ingredients are gluten free.
- To make it dairy free: Use dairy free Greek yogurt.
- To make it nut free: Skip the almonds and cashews.
- Be sure all packaged ingredients do not contain nuts.
- To make it egg free: This recipe does not contain eggs.
No-cook lunches you’ll love:
- Cranberry Chicken Salad
- Ramen Noodle Salad with Orange Ginger Dressing
- Apple Walnut Chicken Salad
- Italian Tortellini Salad
Curry Chicken Salad
Simple creamy curry chicken salad with grapes, cucumber and almonds stuffed in lettuce cups.
- Prep Time: 10-15 mins
- Cook Time: 0 mins
- Total Time: 10-15 mins
- Yield: Serves 6
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Curry Dressing:
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- Zest and juice of 1 medium lime
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ¾ tablespoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Pinch cayenne pepper
Chicken Salad:
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or chopped*
- 1 cup red seedless grapes, halved
- ½ medium English cucumber, diced
- ½ medium jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and finely minced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped + more for serving
- 2 green onions, trimmed and sliced
- 1 head Boston or bibb lettuce
- ½ cup sliced almonds and/or cashew pieces, toasted + more for serving
Instructions
- Whisk together the mayo, yogurt, lime, honey, curry powder, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper in a medium glass bowl. Taste and the adjust seasoning, if necessary.
- Fold in the chicken, grapes, cucumber, jalapeno and cilantro and stir to combine. Place the lid on the container and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Arrange lettuce cups on a platter and fill with scoops of the curry chicken salad. Top with almonds or cashews and additional cilantro, if desired.
Notes
For the chicken: Use shredded rotisserie chicken or pre-cook 2-3 chicken breasts and shred or chop them to use in the salad.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 264
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 396mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 62mg