Curried Chicken Salad

at a glance
Prep Time 15 minutes
Servings 3 Servings
5 — Votes 4 votes

Every item on this page was chosen by The Fed & Fit team. The site may earn a commission on some products (read more here).

Packed with super flavorful spices, this curried chicken salad makes for the tastiest make-ahead lunch option!

Three glass containers with curried chicken salad topped with slices of jalapeños and a side of crackers on a grey and white marble surface. There is also a cutting board with slices of halapheno and cilantro at the top and a lid to one of the containers on the counter.

A Curried Chicken Salad Recipe

I love a good chicken salad, don’t you? Even better when it requires zero actual cooking and very little effort to pull together. This curried chicken salad calls for canned chicken (though you can absolutely use leftover shredded chicken or quickly whip up a batch of shredded chicken in the Instant Pot) for the easiest assembly, a bunch of spices, and seasonings for maximum flavor, and chopped jicama for really fantastic texture. This is a lunch that you’ll be looking forward to all morning!

Curry Chicken Salad Recipe Ingredients

The ingredients here are really simple. Outside of the canned chicken, jicama, and mayo, this list is all about boosting the flavor of classic chicken salad. Here’s everything you’ll need:

  • 3, 5-ounce cans of chicken packed in water, drained
  • 1 cup jicama, peeled and cut into ¼-inch pieces
  • ¼ cup of mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice
  • 2 heaping tablespoons of curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon of salt
  • ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup of chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, cut into rounds, for garnish

Add-Ins & Substitutions for Curried Chicken Salad

  • Swap the jicama – if you’re having trouble locating jicama at your local grocery store, feel free to swap it for another crunchy-textured veggie. Celery would be great here!
  • Add golden raisins or cranberries – add golden raisins or dried cranberries for a nice hint of sweetness.
  • Omit the jalapeno – if spice isn’t your thing, feel free to omit the jalapeno garnish!
  • Use fresh shredded chicken – feel free to swap the canned chicken for either leftover shredded chicken or freshly made shredded chicken (the Instant Pot and slow cooker methods are my favorite).

How to Make Curry Chicken Salad

The process here is incredibly easy! Here’s what you’ll do:

  1. Chop your jicama – if you haven’t already, go ahead and peel and chop your jicama into ¼-inch pieces. 
  2. Mix ingredients together – in a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients together.
  3. Enjoy now or package for later – once mixed, either enjoy your chicken salad now or package it in lunch containers and store it in the fridge for later.
220629_Curried Chicken Salad-1
220629_Curried Chicken Salad-3
220629_Curried Chicken Salad-6

What to Serve with Curry Chicken Salad

We love enjoying this curried chicken salad alongside crispy gluten-free crackers, but it would also be tasty next to crunchy raw veggies and a medley of fresh, juicy fruit.

Glass containers with curried chicken salad topped with slices of jalapeños and a side of crackers on a grey and white marble surface. There is also a glass of grape Ollipop soda and the can on the surface.

Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich

If you prefer to enjoy your chicken salad in sandwich form, feel free (if you’re on the hunt for yummy gluten-free sandwich bread, we really love this one.) Keep in mind that pre-made sandwiches tend to get soggy, so if you’re going this route, go ahead and make the chicken salad ahead of time, but wait to actually make the sandwich until the day you plan on eating it. 

Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this curried chicken salad will last for up to 5 days. 

Q Is curried chicken the same as chicken curry?
A

Chicken curry typically refers to a hot, soup-like curry dish like this. This chicken salad, on the other hand, features heavily curry-seasoned chicken (also known as “curried chicken”).

Q Does curry or cumin go in chicken salad?
A

This recipe does not call for cumin but it does call for 2 heaping tablespoons of curry powder.

a green chicken power bowl made with brown rice, chicken, olives, cherry tomatoes, hummus, and lettuce

Just for You

Lunch Recipes

Want more recipe ideas like this?

Shop Supplies

Canned Chicken Shop Now
Gluten-Free Bread Shop Now
Gluten-Free Crackers Shop Now
Cassy Smiling
More Of Our Favorites Shop Now

Chicken Curry Salad Recipe

5 — Votes 4 votes
Prep Time: 15 mins
Servings: 3 Servings
Packed with super flavorful spices, this curried chicken salad makes for the tastiest make-ahead lunch option!

Ingredients  

  • 3 5-ounce cans of chicken packed in water drained
  • 1 cup jicama peeled and cut into ¼-inch pieces
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 heaping tablespoons curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped, for garnish
  • 1 jalapeno pepper cut into rounds, for garnish

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients (besides the cilantro and jalapeno) together.
  • Once mixed, garnish with cilantro and jalapeno and enjoy right away or packing in lunch containers and store in the fridge for later.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts
Chicken Curry Salad Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
358
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
17.1
g
26
%
Saturated Fat
 
2.3
g
14
%
Cholesterol
 
57.7
mg
19
%
Sodium
 
577.1
mg
25
%
Carbohydrates
 
18.7
g
6
%
Fiber
 
9.3
g
39
%
Sugar
 
3
g
3
%
Protein
 
32.6
g
65
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Recipe Notes

Add-ins and Substitutions:
  • Swap the jicama – if you’re having trouble locating jicama at your local grocery store, feel free to swap it for another crunchy-textured veggie. Celery would be great here!
  • Add golden raisins or cranberries – add golden raisins or dried cranberries for a nice hint of sweetness.
  • Omit the jalapeno – if spice isn’t your thing, feel free to omit the jalapeno garnish!
  • Use fresh shredded chicken – feel free to swap the canned chicken for either leftover shredded chicken or freshly made shredded chicken (the Instant Pot and slow cooker methods are my favorite).
Meet the Author
Brandi Headshot

Brandi Schilhab

Brandi leads our efforts on content audits, outline construction, website calendar management, and a great deal of writing. She could unashamedly watch reruns of Friends + Harry Potter movies and never get bored!⁠ ⁠ ⁠
Get to know Brandi

Show us!

Did You Make This Recipe?

Share a photo and tag us! We can’t wait to see what you make!

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Erin says

    Erin —  08/09/2022 At 11:38

    5 stars
    Made this for lunches for this week – YUM! So good and so quick to come together. I served it over mixed greens and it was so good! I had to sub in celery for the jicama bc we didn’t have any at my local grocery store. I def recommend adding in the raisins. The touch of sweetness pairs nicely with the warm spices and heat from the jalapeno.

    • Melissa Guevara says

      Melissa Guevara —  08/09/2022 At 11:57

      We are so glad that you enjoyed, Erin! Thank you for sharing your delicious subs and for your feedback! We really appreciate it. -Team F&F

  2. Sarah says

    Sarah —  08/20/2022 At 06:27

    5 stars
    This recipe is so so tasty! I loved how flavorful this recipe is. I used celery instead of jicama. Highly recommend if you want a protein packed lunch with lots of flavor. I actually didn’t have curry powder but learned you can make it from a blend of other spices (which I happened to have). I actually paired mine with a side of lentils. Lots of options!

    • Melissa Guevara says

      Melissa Guevara —  08/22/2022 At 08:22

      We are so glad you enjoyed, Sarah! Thank you for sharing your delicious subs and tips! So helpful. We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback with us. -Team FF

  3. Danielle says

    Danielle —  03/06/2023 At 13:45

    5 stars
    This is my second time making this chicken salad, and I LOVE it! This time I threw it over the “Simply Healthy Coleslaw”–SO good! I need to keep this in my lunch rotation.

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  03/07/2023 At 10:10

      Score! Thanks for sharing, Danielle!

  4. Nikki says

    Nikki —  03/31/2023 At 11:20

    Wondering if this would be okay made with canned tuna? I have SO many cans of it in the pantry……thoughts?

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  03/31/2023 At 15:31

      YES! It would be delicious with canned tuna, Nikki!