Curry Chicken Salad with Grapes

5 from 2 votes

This curry chicken salad with grapes, raisins, nuts and vegetables has a delicious tangy chutney dressing. The perfect potluck salad recipe!

plate with curry chicken salad with grapes

Curry is a staple on my spice rack. I use it in countless recipes: this Gobi Masala, this Chicken Panang dish, and my famous Keema Matar. Whether in powder or leaf form, it’s one spice that I know I can rely on for added flavor.


I’ve updated a fairly traditional chicken salad recipe to include a little bit of my favorite spice. With the addition of special seasonings, tangy chutney, and crunchy almonds, this dish is as tasty as it is good-looking. I love bringing brightly colored fruits and vegetables together, and it’s a huge bonus when the flavors play off of each other so nicely.


You can eat my easy curry chicken salad with grapes on its own, or you can use it as a filling for sandwiches and wraps. Let’s jump in!

plate with curry chicken salad with grapes with plates

INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS

  • Chicken – I usually use Costco’s rotisserie as the base of my recipe. It takes a lot of the work out of roasting the poultry yourself. Costco brand runs a bit larger than market rotisseries so you’ll have more than enough for this recipe. 
  • Seedless Red Grapes – I prefer to use red because I find that green varieties can be hit or miss in terms of flavor. However, if you’re in a pinch, you could sub green for red.
  • Celery, Granny Smith Apple, & Red Onion – These add some crunch to the mix and help to load up the recipe with more good-for-you ingredients.
  • Raisins & Almonds – For more added texture and flavor! The sweetness of the raisins plays off the spice perfectly.
  • Homemade Dressing – No salad is complete without its dressing:
    • Mayonnaise – The creamy base of the dressing.
    • Major Grey Chutney – Major Grey is my favorite brand, but feel free to substitute yours.
    • Curry Powder – Here’s where the spice comes in.
    • Lime Juice & Zest – Use 1-2 limes, and be sure to zest first!
    • Honey – A little natural sweetness.
    • Salt – To balance out the other flavors.

HOW TO MAKE EASY CURRY CHICKEN SALAD WITH GRAPES

  1. Prep Your Ingredients. Make sure to cube the poultry, cut the grapes in half, and chop the other produce ingredients before you begin. When you do most of the prep work before you get started, the recipe comes together even more quickly! 
  2. Mix. Add the meat, grapes, celery, apples, onion, raisins, and almonds to a large bowl and mix thoroughly. 
  3. Make the Dressing. Whisk together the mayonnaise, chutney, spice, lime (juice and zest), and salt in a small bowl. 
  4. Mix Again. Pour your dressing over the poultry, fruit, and vegetable mixture and toss. Be sure that all of the ingredients are well-coated. Chill your curry chicken salad with grapes in the fridge for at least 4 hours. It will taste even better if you let it sit overnight! 
  5. Serve & Enjoy. After your dish has been chilled, stir the ingredients once more. Serve over mixed greens and top with more slivered almonds as well as fresh, chopped cilantro if desired. 
platter and plate with curry chicken salad

Can You Add Curry to Chicken Salad?

I encourage it! The added spice combined with creamy mayonnaise makes the dressing in this dish stand out. This seasoning can be described as earthy and spicy, and there’s a slight umami taste as well. Some powders are also sweet, especially those in Southeast Asian recipes. The unique sweet yet savory flavor is what I love most about this spice.

How Do You Keep Chicken Salad From Getting Watery?

Your dish may turn a bit watery due to the celery. Celery is filled with water, which is one of the reasons why it’s so good for you. You can avoid watery results by adding in the celery right before you serve. You can also feel free to add a little more mayonnaise to the dressing to help balance it out. The choice is yours!

Why Is My Chicken Salad Bland?

Traditional recipes call for simple ingredients like poultry, mayonnaise, celery, and salt. Some chefs say that the addition of acid (lime juice) is all it takes to turn your dish on its head. I’ve updated it completely so that my easy curry chicken salad with grapes includes spicy seasonings, sweet fruit, crunchy almonds, and tangy lime juice and chutney. These add-ons ensure that this meal will never be bland! You can also add fresh cilantro for serving. 

curry chicken salad with grapes on a plate
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Curry Chicken Salad

5 from 2 votes
This curry chicken salad with grapes, raisins, nuts and vegetables has a delicious tangy chutney dressing. The perfect potluck salad recipe!
Servings: 4
Prep: 15 minutes
Chill Time: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 3 cups cooked chicken cubed (See Note 1)
  • 2 cups seedless red grapes halved
  • 2 cups celery chopped
  • 1 Granny Smith apple cored and chopped
  • 1/4 cup red onion diced
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds

Dressing

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl mix together the cubed, cooked chicken, grapes, celery, apple, onion, raisins and almonds. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, chutney, curry powder, lime juice and zest and salt.
  • Pour dressing over chicken mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. Chill covered for 4 hours minimum, best overnight.
  • Stir and serve over mixed greens, topped with more slivered almonds and chopped cilantro (optional).

Notes

I generally use Costco rotisserie chicken, which run a little larger than market rotisserie chicken. Two breasts cubed should be about 3 cups. If more, reserve for other use.
1 to 2 limes should yield 3 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, depending on size.

Nutrition

Calories: 712kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 544mg | Potassium: 760mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 389IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 3mg

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Course: salads
Cuisine: Indian
Author: Kevin
Have You Made This Recipe? Let Me Know on InstagramTag @keviniscooking or tag me #keviniscooking!
platter filled with curry chicken salad

Kevin

I was bitten by the cooking bug as a kid cooking and baking along side my mom. After an ROP restaurant course in high school, I went to work in restaurants and catering. My love of travel and food has led me across the world and I love to share those foods with family and friends.

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Recipe Rating




4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Absolutely the best ingredients!!!! Pataks Chutney is fab for this recipe!
    3rd time I have made and I always use a Roaster Chicken therefore no need to add salt, just pepper for taste. This last round, used a fuji apple, had no grapes and used cashew pieces instead of almonds. And, 1 full cup of mayo! Pataks Mango Chutney works too, but I think Major Gray is the best. Outstanding recipe!!!!