Curried Chicken Salad with Apples and Raisins
You’ve got to try this healthy curried chicken salad with apples and raisins! It’s packed with sweet-spicy flavor, and it’s lightened up by using Greek yogurt instead of mayo. It’s the perfect thing for meal prep, served on a sandwich, with crackers, or on some baby greens!
Chicken salad is one of my favorite healthy things to have around. It’s packed with lean protein, and it’s SO versatile. And it lasts for about a week in the fridge, so it’s great to make in bulk!
I love the Indian-inspired flavors in this dish. The curry powder is savory and fragrant and a little spicy- a perfect contrast to the sweet, crunchy apples and tart golden raisins.
What kind of chicken to use
I used cooked chicken, leftover from making a whole chicken in my slow cooker. You can use rotisserie, leftover grilled or roast chicken, poached chicken, etc.
You could also cook it specifically for this recipe, if you want to go big here. Whip up some oven-broiled tandoori chicken to give it even more flavor.
The important thing here is to SHRED your chicken, rather than chop it. Trust me. Shredding chicken for chicken salad helps create more nooks and crannies for the dressing to stick. This improves the flavor AND helps it stay together inside a sandwich a bit more.
Is curry powder spicy?
Curry powder comes in all different forms. Some are super spicy, others very mild. If you are unsure about yours, test out a small amount and add more if needed.
And you can use any leftover curry powder to make this curried cauliflower soup, this butternut squash soup with curry and ginger, or this red lentil dal.
How to make curried chicken salad
The other thing I love about making chicken salad is how FAST and EASILY it comes together. Just mix your ingredients together in a large bowl, and you’re good to go!
For this recipe:
- First mix the dressing (Greek yogurt, curry powder, salt, and pepper) in the bottom of a large bowl.
- Then, add some cooked shredded chicken, diced apples, golden raisins, red onion, and cilantro.
- Stir it all up and you’re good to go!
What makes this curried chicken salad healthy?
Swapping out Greek yogurt for mayonnaise in this chicken salad increases the protein AND reduces the fat. Plus, you get all the added benefits of yogurt, like the healthy bacteria that feed your microbiome.
You can use full-fat yogurt, low-fat, or fat-free, depending on your nutrition needs and preference.
The addition of apples and raisins also adds healthy vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber.
Can I make it dairy-free?
YES! You can definitely use mayonnaise if you prefer. This would also make it paleo/whole30 compliant, as long as you use a compliant brand of mayo.
You can also use hummus as a substitute for the yogurt for a healthier dairy-free option.
How long does it stay good for?
This chicken salad will last 3-5 days in your fridge in an airtight container.
To make it last longer, store it in the back of your fridge where it’s coldest.
How to serve Curried Chicken Salad
If you want a sandwich, you can serve curried chicken salad on toasted bread or inside a pita pocket. If you’re feeling more decadent, try using a croissant! I like throwing some baby greens in there, too.
For a low carb option, try serving it in lettuce wraps or on top of a bed of greens.
Finally, I love eating chicken salad cold straight from the fridge with some crackers or pita chips as a healthy and filling snack. This would also work as an appetizer for a party.
Other Chicken Salad Recipes
- Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts
- Southwest Chicken Salad with Avocado
- Apricot Chicken Salad with Dill
- Tzatziki Chicken Salad with Greek Yogurt
Other Healthy Recipes with Greek Yogurt
- Greek Yogurt Egg Salad with Dill and Lemon
- Healthy Chicken Stroganoff with Mushrooms
- Banana Blueberry Oat Muffins
Be sure to check out all my sandwich recipes here!
Healthy Curried Chicken Salad with Apples and Raisins
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Equipment
- Large Bowl
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt regular will work, too
- 1.5 teaspoons curry powder more or less to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken such as rotisserie
- 1 small apple diced
- 1/2 cup golden raisins or regular raisins
- 1/4 cup diced red onion or scallions
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Mix together the Greek yogurt (3/4 cup), curry powder (1.5 teaspoon), kosher salt (1/2 teaspoon), and black pepper (1/4 teaspoon) in the bottom of a large bowl.
- Add the shredded chicken (2 cups), diced apple, raisins (1/2 cup), red onion (1/4 cup), and cilantro (2 tablespoons) to the bowl. Stir to combine.
- Serve on toasted bread, with crackers, on lettuce wraps, or on a bed of greens.
Notes
- Make it paleo/whole30: use compliant mayo (1/2 cup) instead of yogurt.
- Make it dairy-free: use mayo (1/2 cup) or hummus instead of yogurt.
- Storage: store in an airtight container in your fridge for 3-5 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and reflects one serving of the recipe (total servings indicated at top of recipe card). It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
This recipe first appeared on Bowl of Delicious in August, 2014. It has been updated with a simpler recipe, new photos, and more pertinent information in the post.
I’m making this with leftover turkey from Easter. Looking forward to lunch this week.
Great idea to use up your leftover turkey!
This is my favorite chicken salad recipe EVER and I have tried alot !!
Now I didn’t have raisins but I used grapes I added pecans and celery
The curry was the right amount 👌
So glad you liked it!
Excellent chicken salad. The curry dressing is a tad strong, but the amount of curry powder can be adjusted to taste (as noted in the recipe).
We substituted sliced grapes for the raisins and it was nice and bright.
So glad you liked it! Love the idea of using grapes in here.
I’ve made it yesterday with Madras curry and original sheep’s milk greek yogurt from Greece:)
Right now eating it on some freshly grilled kebab breads with a bit of mixed young leafs.
Absolutely delicious :) thank you for the recipe again.
Going through all your chicken salads, Fiesta avocado is gonna be next :) maybe I’ll finally get back into eating avocados again ;)
So glad you liked it, and hope the avocado chicken salad turns out well for you!
I love all the flavors in this recipe!
Thanks!
I used to make this back in the ‘80s! I also added roasted cashews which made it extra special. Will have to make it again now, your description brought back good memories!
I LOVE this chicken salad, and I’m so happy the recipe brought back good memories for you!
If I could give this 10 stars it would get it!
I prepped this last night and just finished it for dinner and definitely lunch tomorrow. I loved the recipe after reading it so much I doubled it!!
I’m on a weightloss program and did not cheat at all with the 0% Greek yogurt and hummus.
I know Elizabeth says it’s better the second day, I hope a bit will last that long.
Thank you thank you thank you
Omg nicest comment ever!! I’m so happy you liked the recipe and that it was able to fit in your weight loss program :)
This works well with turkey breast too!!
Yes! I will have to keep this in mind for after Thanksgiving this year :-)
Wow! Marinated the chicken last night, made the curry chicken salad this morning and had it for dinner.
DELICIOUS!!! Thank you so much for this recipe!
You’re welcome Brigitte! So glad you liked it and thank you for leaving the nice comment! :)
I also enjoy Indian food! And I do like curried chicken salad…I usually make mine with golden raisins and spinach. I never thought to marinate my chicken though! What a brilliant idea! Pinning!
Thanks! I love the idea of adding spinach to it! :-)
Omg this looks great!
Thanks so much! :-)
hmmm….I do have some leftover chicken in the fridge. I’m just might end up giving this a go!
Hooray! I hope you like it! :-)
I want this for lunch!
Me, too! :-)