How to Make a Healthy Curried Chicken Salad
Most traditional chicken salad recipes call for mayo, which is mostly made up of oil, so I’ve opted for an alternative source of creaminess in this recipe– avocado!
You should know that I’m not the biggest fan of avocado on its own, unless it’s featured in guacamole or avocado pudding, so trust me when I say you can’t taste the avocado in this recipe. Paired with lemon juice, curry powder, and a touch of pure maple syrup, the avocado provides a creamy texture to this sauce, which you can whip up in a blender or food processor. (I’ve mashed it together with a fork in a bowl, too, but it’s more difficult to get a smooth result that way.) When you combine the creamy curry sauce with shredded chicken, freshly chopped celery, green onions, and cilantro, the flavor combination is addictive!
Optional Add-Ins
It’s especially nice if you add in some raisins, for a contrast of sweetness and the extra chewy texture, but if you follow food combining to streamline your digestion, feel free to leave those out. I think it would also be nice with some crunchy pecans or sliced almonds stirred in!
How to Serve
For a properly combined meal, serve this chicken salad over a bed of leafy greens, or wrapped in lettuce leaves for a high-protein wrap.
If food combining isn’t a concern, you can also serve this with your favorite crackers, sliced veggies, or fruit.
How Long Does Chicken Salad Keep in the Fridge?
According to the USDA, it’s safe to keep cooked chicken in your fridge for 3 to 4 days, so I don’t recommend storing this salad in your fridge any longer than that. You can safely freeze it for 2 to 6 months, but I haven’t tested that with this recipe yet, so let me know if you try that. Recipe Notes:
I have only tested this recipe with chicken, because I had so much leftover when perfecting my Instant Pot Shredded Chicken recipe. I imagine it would work well with other white meat, such as leftover turkey, too. For a vegetarian version, it might be worth trying this sauce with jackfruit or mashing it with chickpeas, like in my Chickpea Tuna Salad. I’ll be sure to add vegetarian versions here on the website once I’ve tested them!
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment below letting me know how you like it. And if you make any modifications, I’d love to hear about those, too. We can all benefit from your experience! – Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite way to use up leftover chicken?
