Inspired by my friend Amy Bishop with Greenbrier Farms (an organically run farm in S.C.), I am excited to share this tasty curry chicken salad recipe with you today. Chicken salad is traditionally made with mayo and unfortunately mayonnaise isn’t exactly a real food. The store bought versions are typically made with refined oils and also contain more than 5 ingredients. The homemade versions are more “real food approved” but oftentimes call for raw eggs, which I am on the fence about, plus we eat mayo so infrequently I don’t feel (for me personally) it’s worth the time to make it from scratch. So I’ve tried substituting plain yogurt in dishes like chicken salad, egg salad, and deviled eggs without much success because, frankly, I think plain yogurt is rather plain tasting and the flavor – or lack thereof – was a little too overwhelming in these dishes. So I was thrilled to be introduced to the idea of adding curry to chicken salad, because curry has such a wonderful flavor it totally makes up for what the yogurt is missing.
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Curry Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken (cooked and shredded)
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup cilantro (loosely packed, just the leaves)
- 3 tablespoons almonds (toasted, slivered, or sliced (optional))
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Serve on crackers (ak mak crackers pictured above) or bread and store leftovers in the fridge.
Yum… I love this idea. I can’t wait to try it soon! Thanks!
Mayonnaise is very easy to make and doesn’t taste anything like what you buy in the store. You can make it in just a few minutes. As for the raw egg yolk, I see nothing wrong with that, if your eggs are fresh what is the problem? You are more likely to get sick from raw vegetables.
Made the chicken salad last night and it was delicious for lunch today! I even used your whole chicken crock pot recipe for the chicken. Awesome!
I added a handful of golden raisins to this already delicious salad!
Made mine with raisins, granny smith apples and sunflower seeds, yum! Greek yogurt was a bit tart for me, will try traditional next time. I contemplated adding honey to compensate, but that wouldn’t have done the raisins and apples any good. I love all the inspired suggestions on here, can’t wait to try more!
I make my own mayo, but have never tried chicken salad (I was a vegetarian for 14 years). I will have to try it out, thanks for the recipe :) And you should try making your own mayo, it’s delicous :)
I love curried chicken salad but have never made it with yogurt before (I don’t have a problem with raw eggs as long as I get them from a local farmer so I make my own mayo) but I’d love to try it! I also like to make my chicken salad with lots of chopped celery and an apple…now I want to try combining the two types of chicken salad!
thought you’d like this. a bunch of people in my family have this and they love it! no more buying popsicles! all you have to do is blend some fruit then stick it in the mold.
http://www.zokuhome.com/pages/products-quickpop-maker
Thank you for all your dedication to make a difference. This fight isn’t just about food dyes, its about starting the change as a country towards healthier, more acceptable food choices that we deserve! As a parent, I’m thankful and even motivated to help make changes wherever I can, whether that’s in my child’s school, in my neighborhood, or even just at the next birthday party!Keep going, the fight is worth it!
I just want to say I love your blog! I have 2 children aged 12 and 14. We eat fairly healthy already, but I would really love to give them some good reading material that will help them make better choices outside the home. I was wondering if you could recommend something that might appeal to a teen? They are tired of hearing me tell them about GMOs and side effects of this and that preservative; they think mom is always on a “health kick”. It’s hard for them to embrace this type of eating because they see all their friends eating junk without any adverse effects. There is also a lot of peer pressure at this age. I think if they read something they might decide to come on board with the why behind the food I bring (and do not bring) into the house.
Hi Kathleen. I applaud you wanting to help your teens understand the importance of food choices. Here is a post that contains our recommended reading: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/recommended-reading/. Also, Robyn O’Brien’s Ted Talk is a very concise resource: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWXrRftyOMY…so worth 20 minutes of their time. Hope those are helpful. ~Amy
I use Emeals and LOVE them. I started using them to change up our menu, since I was noticing that we were eating the same 5 or 6 meals over and over again. The service has really done wonders for expanding our repertoire and our palattes. It also encourages my husband to cook because he knows we have all the ingredients and he has a quick simple recipe right in front of his face. I also use their breakfast and lunch menus. They are not clean eating menus but I tweak them so they are which actually makes it even cheaper since I am not buying things like premade tortillas and frozen waffles, etc.
Just wanted to second Catherine’s reply about your interviews on CNN and Dr. Oz. I’ve followed your blog for over 2 years now and have enjoyed taking part in your journey (as well as your recipes). It is so inspiring to see what a following you’ve built and how you continue to use your passion and intelligence to take this fight to the next level. I will be anxiously watching to see what changes develop because of all this media attention you’ve been able to garner with your petition.
This curry version looks amazing! But if you want something that tastes like regular chicken salad without the mayo, I enthusiastically recommend this recipe:
http://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/03/09/heart-stopping-chicken-salad/
It uses avocado, mustard, and lemon juice, and it is really delicious.
We love using avocado in our chicken and tuna salads… just avocado mashed in there with s&p. It’s surprisingly good, I love it.
Wen I discovered Greek yogurt I was so excited exhale I’ve never liked mayo! I now eat all of those fun “salads”
Just made this curry chicken salad- so yummy! Thank you! I like it “wet” so added an extra 1/4 of the yogurt. I also bought ak mak crackers for the first time today… So reasonable and delicious for a cracker. Thank you for all that you do!
This site is a great resource for single men.
Really, there is a whole demographic out there that really, really needs this cooking/recipe resource. Nothing says ‘home’ more than home cooking. Takeout, supermarket deli and fast food get old, fast.
Thanks from a 40 something guy!
I wonder if adding a splash of vinegar, maybe a flavored vinegar, would improve the flavor with plain yogurt?
Hi Sharon. If you try it, let us know what you think! ~Amy
I wanted to chime in and say how much I LOVE e-meals. I started eating the organic/whole foods plan when I first started a journey to reduce processed foods in my diet. It really opened up my world to a whole new group of foods. the recipes are all cooked in under an hour, they are delicious, sometimes even fancy. I’m now using the clean eating plan, which is even less processed than organic plan and we are enjoying it as well. Portions are perfect for my family of two and I highly recommend it!
Am loving the curry, yogurt and cilantro in this, great recipe!
Just a tip for easy shredded chicken…I boil my chicken and then when it’s done just put it in the kitchen aid with the dough mixer attachment and it shreds the chicken I’m about two minutes hands free!!
Sorry about that, makes more sense about the eggs, and not raw veggies. Thanks again for the recipe. Also now that I’m eating clean I’ve lost over 20 pounds and feel great. I don’t 100% of the time, but I try on most days.
Lisa,
You and Vani were amazing in those interviews. I literally had tears in my eyes as I listened to you speak so passionately about this very important subject. I hope this is just the beginning of a food revolution in our country. Thank you for being a voice for all of us moms who are trying to do better for our children.
Awww…thank you Catherine! :)
I will totally try this, it looks so good. I pack shredded chicken in my lunch as a snack but this will be perfect for a meal. Also I didn’t know that you were on “the fence” about eating raw veggies. Do you have information on why? Just wondering, I didn’t realize that. I eat lots of salads so..
On the fence about raw eggs (not veggies) due to possible salmonella. It’s not something we really worry about much, but as Lisa said, she’s on the fence about it.
I picked up a “Chicken Salad made with Rotisserie Chicken” yesterday from Costco. Today I read the ingredients… Beyond shocked… I would like to share with you…
Chicken, water, soybean oil, whole eggs,egg yolks, cultured milk and cream,milk cream, onions, whey,modified corn starch,high fructose corn syrup,distilled vinegar,salt, sodium phosphates,modified food starch,sugar,soy lecithin, vinegar,lemon juice, calcium disodium EDTA,Guar Gum,Carageenan,calcium sulfate, rice starch,mal todextrin, cultured dextrose, corn sugar,extractive of black pepper –(Ok I’m getting a little tired but I have 20 more ingredients)extractive of celery, citric acid, locust bean gum, spices, lactic acid,mono and diglycerides, sodium casinate, sodium benzoate, and potassium sorbate, acetic acid, natural and artificial flavors, lemon juice concentrate,dehydrated parsley,paprika, kosher gelatin, sodium citrate, enzymes, apple cider vinegar, cultured sugar turmeric, onion powder, garlic powder, xanthan gum.
And then it says “perishable keep refrigerated”… I’m pretty sure with all of those ingredients it could last a week without refrigeration…
I was absolutely 100% SHOCKED!!! I thought I was picking up a healthy alternative to snack on…
ugh. not chicken. chicken is not a real food. it’s a dead food full of suffering and drugs to make it bigger.
Umm, what? We buy our chicken from a local farmer. They provide the chickens with space to roam outdoors and a quality diet.
Sounds great! I bet this would be good with flavors such as raisins, pineapple & coconut.
I love how simple this recipe looks and how few ingredients you actually need to make it with too. Looks yummy and one ill be adding to my list to try.
Hi, what brand of crackers?
Thank you!
Ak Mak, which we buy from our local Earth Fare but they can also be ordered from Amazon.
I add curry to egg salad too – it’s so good!!
Nice. I like to add apples and/or raisins too….Mark Bittman’s recipe has that and it’s lovely.
Try using whipped cream for your base. It gives your chicken salad a slightly sweeter taste and it keeps it lighter. That’s how we made it when I worked in a Victorian tea parlor. Just make sure your chicken is chilled. It was delish and a big hit!
After, going halfway to “Real Foods” last January when I put my family on the Feingold diet (no artificial anything and no preservatives), I myself have been eating the Whole 30 diet since the end of last year. Because the only oils allowed are coconut oil and olive oil, I have been making my own mayo. I have a Bosch mixer/blender and I can make it in 2 to 3 minutes. Completely worth the effort! I do not have everyone completely on the the Whole 30 (kids and hubby are allowed grains) but I am seeing even further improvement in the kids’ behavior as I go more and more natural. I use organic, pastured eggs and don’t worry about them being raw. The risk of salmonella is low if you know your source and know the farmer cares for the hens well and doesn’t cramp them together. But then I do raw milk too! My kids HATE it now whenever I miss a pickup because we are out of town or something.
About chicken curry salad – try it on top of cantaloupe! Absolutely scrumptious blending of flavors.
Finally, as my teenage kids say “You were boss on Oz yesterday!” :-) So sorry I missed you on CNN today. I may go to their website to see if the clip is there.
Missed the Dr. Oz appearance, but you were awesome on CNN this morning!
I don’t eat meat any more, but when I did, I made chicken salad with celery, sliced almonds and grape halves, and used sour cream instead of mayo. I agree with Amanda that Greek yogurt would be better than regular yogurt. Perhaps the sour cream could be mixed with the Greek yogurt for my version.
I rarely eat tuna, but mix it with curry or turmeric to mask the tuna flavor. I know it would be great with chicken.
I used to make a Pampered Chef version that also had mayo, but included apples. Made it with lemon yogurt, which was really good. I’m going to have to try greek yogurt and lemon juice and zest and see how it is! Letting it sit in the fridge a few hours or overnight made it the best.
I have a lot of dried cilantro on hand that I dehydrated last summer from our garden. Any ideas of how much of this to use instead of the 1/3 cup of fresh leaves? Thanks!
The traditional fresh herb to dried conversion is 3 to 1. i.e. 1 tablespoon fresh herbs = 1 teaspoon dried. So you need 1/3 of 1/3 cup, ha ,ha. Since 1/3 cup = 5 tbs + 1 tsp, 1/3 of that would be 5 1/3 teaspoons dried cilantro. Though the recipe does call for loosely packed cilantro, and that 5 1/3 teaspoons seems like quite a lot, so perhaps start with a teaspoon, taste and add another up to 5 1/3 teaspoons until desired seasoning level is reached.
Try using hummus to make chicken salad. I prefer it taste wise to mayo and yogurt. It’s got a little creaminess and holds everything together and has just the right amount of flavor. Best chicken salad in the world: shredded chicken, halved grapes, diced apples and hummus. Seriously, give it a go!
Brianne – I love that idea…never thought to use hummus!
My friend, the crock pot! And I had a wild idea to try a tofu version (no crock pot :)) for my husband, the Vegan. Just the right idea for tonight. Thanks!
Use plain Greek yogurt instead of plain yogurt. Much creamier. I know you buy Organic but Fage Plain Greek Yogurt is about the best you can get. I use regularly and no body knows.
Looks yummy! I have been using the eMeals Clean Eating menu for about 3 weeks now and I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE it. The recipes (with the exception of maybe 2) have been a hit. Especially with my husband who was seriously doubtful that ANYTHING would taste good. The recipes have even allowed for some leftovers for lunches. Looking forward to making this chicken curry! I was planning on roasting a chicken tomorrow for dinner (eMeals recipe from a couple of weeks ago), so this will be perfect with the leftovers!
When you do use mayo, do you have a preferred brand? I’m like you – I use mayo so infrequently that I’m more concernd with making the best choice than finding a substitute for the rare times I use it. I’ve been buying Duke’s – seems to have a simpler ingredient list (and less sugar) than other brands I could find on the shelf.
Hello Mary Beth. This will answer your question about mayo:https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/04/17/real-food-condiments-do-they-exist/. ~Amy
Ooh this sounds yummy! I have been using curry when I make tuna salad for about a year now, but it never dawned on me to use it when making chicken salad. Can’t wait to try this!