Mrs. Christensen’s Curry Chicken Salad
A filling salad with chicken, peas, almonds, water chestnuts, celery, and green onion. All tossed with a mild creamy curry dressing, and topped with cashews and crispy chow mein noodles. This Curry Chicken Salad is easy to make, healthy, and delicious.
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We’ve had this Curry Chicken Salad recipe in the family for many years. Mrs. Christensen was a lady my moms best friend used to clean for and she past along this fabulous salad. We’ve always called it Mrs. Christensen’s Chicken Salad, and I think she’d be honored to know I’m sharing it with you!
This salad not only has great flavor, it has lots of great texture. The chicken is tender, and the veggies, nuts, and chow mein noodles add just the right amount of crunch.
I also love that the curry in the dressing isn’t overly strong. I’m not a big fan of curry, but I love the subtleness of it in this recipe. It adds nice flavor and warmth without overpowering the rest of the ingredients.
This is a great salad to make anytime of the year. It’s perfect for picnics or lunch with friends. I also like making a batch of Chicken Salad to have during the busy weekdays for an easy lunch to pack up.
Ingredients For Curry Chicken Salad:
- Cooked diced or shredded chicken– Use a store-bought rotisserie chicken to make this salad even faster.
- Frozen, thawed peas- Peas add a touch of sweetness, color and texture. I love putting peas in so many of my recipes.
- Water Chestnuts- Adds a unique crunch without adding a lot of flavor.
- Celery- Adds a subtle flavor and a nice crunch. I think it’s a must to put celery in chicken salad.
- Green onion- Mild in flavor, so it works perfectly in a fresh salad like this.
- Slivered toasted almonds- For crunch and flavor. I love the toasted flavor this adds to the salad.
- Cashews- This is optional but I find the cashews pair well with the curry flavor.
- Chow Mein Noodles- Another layer of crunch and completes this salad in my opinion.
Ingredients for Dressing:
- Full-fat Greet yogurt- This adds a boost of protein and it’s better for you than using all-mayo.
- Mayo- Adding a touch of mayo cuts through some of the sour from the yogurt.
- Curry- Again, just a touch of curry for flavor and warmth. A little goes a long way.
- Soy sauce- Adds saltiness and flavor.
- Lemon juice- This adds a little brightness to the dressing.
- Ground black pepper- Cause I’m a pepper girl, and I like the subtle heat without the spicy aftertaste.
NOTE: This makes a lot of dressing. I like to reserve 1/4-1/2 cup to add in and give it creaminess when I have leftovers.
Can this salad be made in advance?
Yes! If I’m making this 1 day in advance, I mix the chicken and veggies together reserving a 1/2 cup of dressing. When you’re ready to serve, toss in the extra dressing just before serving, and top with cashews and chow mein noodles.
Makes Great Leftovers.
This salad will last and taste fresh up to 5 days in the fridge. It’s great to have on hand when I need a quick lunch and I don’t have time to make myself something. I add a few more chow mein noodles just before eating for a fresh crunch.
What If I don’t like curry?
As I mentioned before, I’m not a big fan either, but I really like the mild flavor in this salad. If you absolutely don’t want to use it try substituting for garlic powder, or a salt free, all-purpose seasoning like Mrs. Dash Original.
Other Curry Substitutes-
If you don’t have curry on hand, these spices work as a great replacement.
- Garam Masala
- Tandoori Masala
- Ground Cumin
- Curry Paste
How to Make Curry Chicken Salad:
- Add chicken, peas, water chestnuts, celery, green onions, and slivered almonds to a large bowl.
- Whisk dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and pour desired amount over the the chicken and veggies.
- Top with cashews and chow mein noodles.
So easy!
Other Chicken Salad Recipes you Might Enjoy:
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Let’s eat!🤍
Mrs. Christensen’s Chicken Salad
Ingredients
For Salad
- 2 cups cooked, diced or shredded chicken I use a store-bought rotisserie chicken
- 1 8 oz can diced water chestnuts, drained
- 1/2 cup chopped celery, about 2 large celery ribs
- 1/4 cup sliced green onion
For the dressing
- 1 1/4 cups full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup mayo if you don't want to use mayo just use 1/4 cup more yogurt
- 1 tsp curry
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
Toppings
- roasted cashews
- chow mein noodles
Instructions
- Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl with a whisk until creamy. If it's too thick you can add a splash of water to thin it out, about 2 tablespoons.
- In a large bowl add the chicken, peas, water chestnuts, celery, green onion, and slivered almonds. Pour desired amount of dressing over the top and toss gently to combine.
- Top with cashews and chow mein noodles. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you don’t like curry- Substitute with garlic powder or a salt free, all-purpose seasoning like Mrs. Dash Original.
- Curry Substitutes- If you don’t have curry on hand you can substitute with cumin, garma masala, tandoori masala, and curry paste.
- Make-ahead- Add everything to a bowl leaving off the cashews and chow mein noodles. Toss with extra leftover dressing when ready to serve and top with cashews and chow mein noodles.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 6 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories 167 | |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 7g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat 2.4g | 12% |
| Cholesterol 47mg | 16% |
| Sodium 277mg | 12% |
| Total Carbohydrate 6.9g | 3% |
| Dietary Fiber 0.8g | 3% |
| Total Sugars 2.3g | |
| Protein 18.1g | |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Calcium 67mg | 5% |
| Iron 1mg | 4% |
| Potassium 177mg | 4% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
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