Curry Chicken Salad Recipe

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

01 A Curried Chicken Salad Recipe

02 Curry Chicken Salad Recipe Ingredients

03 How to Make Curry Chicken Salad

04 What to Serve with Curry Chicken Salad

05 Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich

06 How long does chicken curry salad last?

07 Chicken Curry Salad Recipe FAQ

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:

Chop your jicama – if you haven’t already, go ahead and peel and chop your jicama into ¼-inch pieces.
Mix ingredients together – in a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients together.
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.

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.

How long does chicken curry salad last?

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

Chicken Curry Salad Recipe FAQ

Q Is curried chicken the same as chicken curry?

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?

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