100 Days of Real Food

menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
    • Welcome
    • Original 100 Day Pledge
    • 100 Day Budget Pledge
    • FAQs
  • My Cookbooks
  • Resources
    • Our Shop
    • Meal Ideas & Resources
    • Mini-Pledge Progam
    • School Lunch Packing Chart
    • Favorite Amazon Buys
  • Blog
    • What Is Real Food?
    • How to Start
      • Real Food Tips
      • Eating Out and Travel
      • Food Shopping
      • How to Cook
      • Kitchen and Home
    • School Lunches
    • Snacks
    • Kids
      • Picky Eaters
      • Fun Stuff
  • Meal Plans
    • Real Food Meal Plans
    • School Lunch Plans
    • Free Weekly Dinner Plans
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
    • Welcome
    • Original 100 Day Pledge
    • 100 Day Budget Pledge
    • FAQs
  • My Cookbooks
  • Resources
    • Our Shop
    • Meal Ideas & Resources
    • Mini-Pledge Progam
    • School Lunch Packing Chart
    • Favorite Amazon Buys
  • Blog
    • What Is Real Food?
    • How to Start
      • Real Food Tips
      • Eating Out and Travel
      • Food Shopping
      • How to Cook
      • Kitchen and Home
    • School Lunches
    • Snacks
    • Kids
      • Picky Eaters
      • Fun Stuff
  • Meal Plans
    • Real Food Meal Plans
    • School Lunch Plans
    • Free Weekly Dinner Plans
×
Home » Recipes

Curry Chicken Salad

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.

curry chicken salad recipe - 100 Days of Real Food

Want to Save this Recipe?

Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you'll get great new recipes from us every week!

Save Recipe

P.S. If you are keeping up with our Kraft petition be sure to check out our appearances on both Dr. Oz and CNN this week.

chicken curry salad on brackers.

Curry Chicken Salad

Inspired by Ellie Krieger and Amy Bishop of Green Brier Farms
7 Reviews / 5 Average
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Total Time: 10 minutes mins
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American
Method: Freezer Friendly
Diet: Egg Free, Gluten Free
Print Recipe
Servings: 4 people
Save Recipe Saved!

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups chicken (cooked and shredded)
  • ½ cup plain yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ 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.

Notes

Check out The Best Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot for a great way to get cooked chicken for this recipe!
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Curry Chicken Salad
Amount Per Serving
Calories 150 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 34mg11%
Sodium 334mg15%
Potassium 177mg5%
Carbohydrates 3g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 175IU4%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 61mg6%
Iron 0.6mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Want weekly REAL FOOD meal plans made for you?→ Check It Out

More Recipes

  • Garlic butter steak bites.
    Garlic Butter Steak Bites
  • Chicken sausage sheet pan.
    Chicken Sausage Sheet Pan
  • Sausage stir fry.
    Sausage Stir Fry
  • Sausage broccoli pasta.
    Sausage Broccoli Pasta
6.5K shares

About Lisa Leake

Lisa is a wife, mother, foodie, blogger, and #1 New York Times Best-selling author who is on a mission to cut out processed food.

Comments

  1. Dani's Dish says

    March 18, 2013 at 8:55 pm

    5 stars
    Yum... I love this idea. I can't wait to try it soon! Thanks!

    Reply
  2. Marie says

    March 18, 2013 at 6:32 pm

    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.

    Reply
  3. Shea says

    March 18, 2013 at 4:14 pm

    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!

    Reply
  4. Jen-Love says

    March 18, 2013 at 3:19 pm

    I added a handful of golden raisins to this already delicious salad!

    Reply
  5. Diana says

    March 18, 2013 at 3:15 pm

    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!

    Reply
  6. Economies of Kale says

    March 17, 2013 at 9:42 pm

    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 :)

    Reply
  7. Mary says

    March 17, 2013 at 5:50 pm

    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!

    Reply
  8. Cezanne says

    March 17, 2013 at 5:34 pm

    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

    Reply
  9. mohi says

    March 16, 2013 at 11:17 pm

    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!

    Reply
  10. Kathleen says

    March 16, 2013 at 6:15 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      March 20, 2013 at 6:03 am

      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

      Reply
  11. Danielle says

    March 16, 2013 at 7:59 am

    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.

    Reply
  12. Jill says

    March 15, 2013 at 8:53 pm

    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.

    Reply
  13. Becky says

    March 15, 2013 at 8:25 pm

    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.

    Reply
  14. Robin Jingjit says

    March 15, 2013 at 8:20 pm

    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.

    Reply
  15. Marla says

    March 15, 2013 at 7:54 pm

    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!

    Reply
  16. Voter One says

    March 15, 2013 at 7:27 pm

    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!

    Reply
  17. Sharon says

    March 15, 2013 at 6:35 pm

    5 stars
    I wonder if adding a splash of vinegar, maybe a flavored vinegar, would improve the flavor with plain yogurt?

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      March 18, 2013 at 6:54 pm

      Hi Sharon. If you try it, let us know what you think! ~Amy

      Reply
  18. aa says

    March 15, 2013 at 6:30 pm

    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!

    Reply
  19. Aggie says

    March 15, 2013 at 4:55 pm

    Am loving the curry, yogurt and cilantro in this, great recipe!

    Reply
  20. DeeAnn says

    March 15, 2013 at 4:24 pm

    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!!

    Reply
  21. Tammy says

    March 15, 2013 at 4:21 pm

    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.

    Reply
  22. Catherine says

    March 15, 2013 at 3:50 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      March 15, 2013 at 4:44 pm

      Awww...thank you Catherine! :)

      Reply
  23. Tammy says

    March 15, 2013 at 3:49 pm

    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..

    Reply
    • Jason Leake with 100 Days of Real Food says

      March 15, 2013 at 3:54 pm

      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.

      Reply
  24. Kristen says

    March 15, 2013 at 2:59 pm

    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...

    Reply
  25. lul says

    March 15, 2013 at 2:19 pm

    ugh. not chicken. chicken is not a real food. it's a dead food full of suffering and drugs to make it bigger.

    Reply
    • Jason Leake with 100 Days of Real Food says

      March 15, 2013 at 3:01 pm

      Umm, what? We buy our chicken from a local farmer. They provide the chickens with space to roam outdoors and a quality diet.

      Reply
  26. Heather says

    March 15, 2013 at 2:16 pm

    Sounds great! I bet this would be good with flavors such as raisins, pineapple & coconut.

    Reply
  27. Jan @ Sprouts n Squats says

    March 15, 2013 at 2:12 pm

    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.

    Reply
  28. Veronica says

    March 15, 2013 at 2:08 pm

    Hi, what brand of crackers?

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Jason Leake with 100 Days of Real Food says

      March 15, 2013 at 3:03 pm

      Ak Mak, which we buy from our local Earth Fare but they can also be ordered from Amazon.

      Reply
  29. Krista says

    March 15, 2013 at 1:54 pm

    I add curry to egg salad too - it's so good!!

    Reply
  30. Emelia says

    March 15, 2013 at 1:44 pm

    Nice. I like to add apples and/or raisins too....Mark Bittman's recipe has that and it's lovely.

    Reply
  31. Robin says

    March 15, 2013 at 1:34 pm

    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!

    Reply
  32. Beth in TX says

    March 15, 2013 at 1:23 pm

    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.

    Reply
  33. Linda says

    March 15, 2013 at 1:17 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Holly says

      March 15, 2013 at 1:58 pm

      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.

      Reply
  34. Cathy says

    March 15, 2013 at 1:15 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      March 15, 2013 at 10:34 pm

      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.

      Reply
  35. Brianne says

    March 15, 2013 at 1:09 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      March 15, 2013 at 4:45 pm

      Brianne - I love that idea...never thought to use hummus!

      Reply
  36. Robin says

    March 15, 2013 at 12:58 pm

    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!

    Reply
  37. Amanda says

    March 15, 2013 at 12:37 pm

    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.

    Reply
  38. Kristen says

    March 15, 2013 at 12:32 pm

    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!

    Reply
  39. Mary Beth says

    March 15, 2013 at 12:19 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      March 18, 2013 at 7:49 am

      Hello Mary Beth. This will answer your question about mayo:https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/04/17/real-food-condiments-do-they-exist/. ~Amy

      Reply
  40. Kathleen says

    March 15, 2013 at 12:16 pm

    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!

    Reply
Newer Comments »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Recipe Rating




Welcome!


Meet Lisa! Lisa is a best-selling cookbook author, wife, mother, and passionate home cook. Lisa began blogging in 2010 and has created a community of millions of people who share her love of healthy living, real food ingredients, and family recipes.

Learn More

Popular

  • Chicken sausage pasta.
    Chicken Sausage Pasta
  • Steak with veggies.
    Steak with Veggies
  • Sausage and potatoes.
    Sausage and Potatoes
  • Spaghetti squash with meat sauce.
    Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce

Seasonal

  • Spaghetti squash boats.
    Spaghetti Squash Boats
  • How to cook spaghetti squash.
    How to Cook Spaghetti Squash
  • Air fryer popcorn chicken.
    Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken
  • Healthy blueberry pancakes.
    Healthy Blueberry Pancakes

Footer

↑ back to top

Browse

  • Cookbooks
  • Meal Plans
  • Recipes
  • Favorite Products
  • Free Downloads

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Blog

  • About
  • Comment Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Partner With Us
  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 100 Days of Real Food