Curried Chicken Salad

Diced sautéed chicken breast with curry paste over a bed of greens and Greek yogurt dressing bursting with bold and complex flavors.

This curried chicken salad is bursting with bold and complex flavors that blend together in a satisfying and hearty dish. The tender and slightly spicy chicken pairs perfectly with the crunchy and nutty almonds, while the fresh celery adds a refreshing crunch. The tangy and creamy curried yogurt dressing ties everything together and provides a delicious contrast to the heat of the curry paste. The bed of greens offers a light and fresh backdrop to the bold flavors of the salad, making it a perfect dish for a light and healthy lunch or dinner.

Servings

2

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Total Time

35 minutes

Ingredients

For the Chicken Salad

  • 2 chicken breasts, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • 2 tablespoons tikka masala curry paste
  • 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
  • Spinach and butter lettuce (or greens of your choice)

For the Curried Yogurt Dressing

  • 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Preparation

If not already chilled, partially freeze or thoroughly chill the chicken breasts before dicing for easier handling.

Chicken and Almonds

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced chicken and tikka masala curry paste, stirring until the chicken is well coated. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove the cover, add celery and almonds, and continue cooking until the chicken is fully cooked and slightly golden.

Yogurt Dressing

While the chicken cooks, prepare the dressing. In a mixing bowl, combine Greek yogurt, honey, lemon juice, curry powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and uniform.

Assembly

Lay a generous bed of greens (spinach, butter lettuce, or your preferred mix) on a serving plate. Top with the warm curried chicken mixture. Drizzle or dollop the curried yogurt dressing over the top.

Serving

Serve immediately, optionally with naan bread or pita for a complete meal.

Tips

For richer flavor, refrigerate the chicken mixture for an hour before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together beautifully.

Prepare all the ingredients. If you don’t happen to have fresh lemons on hand, the squeeze bottle works in a pinch as you see here!

Dice the chicken breasts. This works best if the chicken is partially frozen or very chilled.

Dice 2 stalks of celery.

Measure 1/2 cup of sliced almonds.

Heat skillet to med-high and add diced chicken. Stir in the curry paste.

Cover and cook about 5 minutes. Remove cover and stir until chicken is cooked through.

Add the celery and almonds and stir.

Reduce heat to low to simmer a few minutes and reduce liquid.

Mix together the yogurt, honey, lemon juice, curry powder, salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly.

Prepare plate with a bed of greens. Spread the chicken salad on top of the greens. Dollop the curried yogurt sauce on top.