Salads never need to be boring, especially when you top them with your favorite flavor combinations. Curry chicken salad with apples make a great combo. And this curried chicken salad recipe is an easy 20-minute dinner to throw together!
Sometime last year, I was experimenting with some Indian ingredients. It’s not a cuisine that I’m super-duper familiar with, but my cookbook editor has urged me to learn some more. I tried out an Indian faster food restaurant nearby and loved it!
That gave me courage to experiment and explore a little bit.
I love curry and knew that it would pair well with chicken. I wanted a salad; I love salad with fruit, like this Chicken & Raspberry Salad Recipe and this Orchard Chicken Salad Recipe With Apples. So, I did some research to see what fruits are native to India: apples, grapes/raisins, and cashews are all found there. Cool deal.
Out of that research, this Curried Chicken and Apple Salad was born. My husband was skeptical the first time I made it, but he’s now a believer. You will be, too.
Ingredients for this curried chicken salad recipe
It might seem like a long list, but I’m going to guess many of these ingredients are hiding out in your pantry already just begging to be used in this recipe.
- Garlic powder
- Curry powder
- Chicken tenders
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- Mayonnaise
- Lime juice
- Baby greens
- Apples
- Golden raisins
- Cashews
- Onion
- Cilantro
How to make this curried chicken salad
Season the chicken.
Cook the chicken.
Make the dressing.
Make the salad.
Can I substitute grapes for the apples?
You definitely can. Curried chicken salad made with grapes is another classic pairing to try.
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can, however, I would dress the salad when you are ready to eat it so it doesn’t get soggy. The cashews can also get soggy, so only add those when you are ready to enjoy.
But you could definitely prep the chicken ahead of time, and keep it in your fridge for up to 4 days. That way you are just minutes away from making this salad for dinner. You could also make the dressing ahead of time, and keep that in your fridge. So then making dinner is easy breezy.
Is this curried chicken salad Whole 30 compliant?
One of my favorite things about this salad is that it is dairy- and grain-free, making it perfect for the Whole 30.
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Curried Chicken and Apple Salad
Ingredients
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 lb chicken tenders
- salt
- black pepper
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 6 oz baby greens
- 2 apple such as Braeburn, cored and chopped
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup roasted and unsalted cashews
- 4 green onion chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder and curry powder. Sprinkle the mixture over both sides of the chicken tenders. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until shimmering. Add the chicken and sauté until the juices are clear, about 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and lime juice until very smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the remaining ¼ cup olive oil and whisk to combine.
- Divide the greens among four serving plates. Divide the apples, raisins, cashews, and scallions among the plates. Add the chicken, and top with the cilantro. Serve with the dressing on the side.
Notes
containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The chicken is great served cold,
but if you’d prefer, warm it quickly in the microwave.
Nutrition
Ashley Elliott
Hi Jessica,
This looks really good and I want to try it! I just have a question: Are “chicken tenders” the same thing as chicken breasts? Are they something you get from the frozen section or the regular meat section? I’m kinda new to the whole cooking thing… Thanks!!!
Jessica Fisher
Yes, chicken tenders are just this thin narrow piece that is usually cut off the breast. You can buy chicken tenders or you can buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts — both work well in this recipe. Good question!
Demi
Finally got around to making this for lunch today. I used cooked chicken and mixed the spices with the dressing. Substituted romaine lettuce for the greens and apricots for the raisins. No green onions or cilantro 🙁 they would have been great. Thanks for the recipe!
Jessica Fisher
Thanks for pointing out that fix. One of my testers did that: used cooked chicken and added the spices another way.
karen
My husband would love this all wrapped up in a tortilla for a work lunch. He’s not into ‘meal salads’, they take too long to eat at work.
Jessica Fisher
THAT sounds like a fantastic idea!
Demi
Looks amazing!