in the kitchen · recipes

So Simple Curry Chicken Salad

Sara {Go Gingham}

So Simple Chicken Curry Salad

Whenever I cook a whole chicken for dinner, the next night’s dinner is always something with leftover chicken (if there is any with two teenagers!).  This is one of my favorite uses of leftover chicken: chicken salad sandwiches with vegetables and curry. It’s good on a sandwich but you can also just serve a scoop on a bed of salad greens and call it dinner.

It’s also really good with arugula. Arugula is technically an herb that’s super easy to grow and can be added to salads. It’s peppery lettuce, really.

So Simple Chicken Curry Salad

If I had fresh dill, I’d toss some of that in, too, but I can’t bring myself to buy fresh dill at the grocery store. All that plastic packaging just for fresh herbs? No thank you. I’ll wait until summer when the dill is growing in my garden. But arugula? That’s another story. Arugula grows in the garden practically year round and our backyard chickens don’t really like to eat it.

So Simple Curry Chicken Salad

I like to keep a big bag of organic greens peas on hand in my freezer for after school snacking or to toss into dishes if they need a little green color. Oh alright – yes, and for good health, too! My big bag of organic green peas is from Costco. It’s in their freezer section.

So Simple Curry Chicken Salad
Recipe Type: Main
Cuisine: American
Author: Sara Tetreault
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4-6
The best way to use chicken from oven roasting it. You can also use chicken from a can or any leftover diced up chicken. Sandwiches or a bowl of this make an excellent lunch.
Ingredients
  • 2 cups chicken, [url href=”https://gogingham.com/2013/04/oven-roasted-whole-chicken/” target=”_blank” title=”Oven Roasted Whole Chicken”]leftover from oven roasting it[/url]
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 Tablespoon onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup green peas, frozen
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 Tablespoon curry spice
  • 1 teaspoon Tony’s lite seasoning [url href=”https://gogingham.com/2011/12/spicing-it-up-in-the-kitchen/” target=”_blank” title=”Spicing it Up in the Kitchen”](or other low sodium, msg free seasoning)[/url]
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice (you can substitute red wine vinegar here)
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Remove cooked chicken from carcass by cutting off all pieces ([url href=”https://gogingham.com/2013/04/how-to-make-chicken-broth/” target=”_blank” title=”How to Make Chicken Broth”]don’t toss out the carcass – make homemade chicken broth from this[/url]!)
  2. Place diced chicken in a large bowl.
  3. Toss frozen peas into bowl with chicken. No need to cook them first. Just stir in with the chicken and they’ll thaw quickly.
  4. Add celery and onion to bowl with chicken and peas. Toss.
  5. In a small mixing bowl, combine Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, curry, Tony’s spice, and lemon juice.
  6. Stir dressing until well combined.
  7. Pour dressing over chicken mixture and stir.
  8. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  9. Serve on bread for sandwiches or on a bed of arugula and enjoy.
Notes
Fresh dill is excellent in here also. If you have it growing in the yard, toss a few cut up sprigs in with the peas. I don’t like to buy herbs with all of the plastic packaging.

Notes:

  • If using canned chicken, look for premium chunk chicken packed in water, not oil.
  • Diced apple is really tasty in here as well. My family goes crazy if I try to put “fruit” into something savory so I serve this with apple slices and toss mine into the salad and then eat it.
  • Save the chicken carcass by refrigerating or freezing it until you’re ready to make homemade chicken broth.
  • I like Earthbound Farm’s arugula – if I haven’t grown it myself. They triple wash and it’s ready to have on a sandwich or in a salad – fast.
Go Gingham: So Simple Chicken Curry Salad
Chicken salad with curry sandwich and arugula – delicious!

That’s it! Now, you’ve served a roasted chicken one night and made a delicious chicken salad with the leftovers.

What do you like to make with leftover chicken?

Go Gingham related links:

New to cooking at home? Fear not!
How we keep food waste to a minimum
Confessions of a leftover food lover – that would be me!
Three easy herbs to grow – you won’t be able to kill these, I promise!

Published by Sara {Go Gingham}

Sara, creator of Go Gingham, writes about real food, green living, and a healthy lifestyle - on fewer resources - {Stylishly Frugal Living}. She loves gingham - but tries to keep that in check.

8 thoughts on “So Simple Curry Chicken Salad”

  1. Oh, yum. I absolutely love curry chicken salad. Whether hubby wants it or not, I’m roasting a chicken this weekend! When I’ve made chicken salad (curried especially) I’ll add not only diced apples, but golden raisins, dried cranberries, and slivered almonds to mine – no one complains. They don’t like to talk with their mouths full. It slows them down!

    And, other things I make with leftover chicken: Chicken Tetrazzini, Chicken Enchiladas, Chicken & Noodles (like a tuna noodle casserole), Chicken & Stuffing, Using the carcass – Chicken & Dumplings, Chicken Gravy with Rice (or biscuits), etc., etc., etc.

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    1. Cathy, all of you leftover ideas sound scrumptious! And, I love all of your add ins for chicken salad. Curry is such a useful flavoring and lends itself to all of those additions.
      Well done! Thanks for sharing.

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  2. This looks fabulous, I think I’d add red grapes instead of peas sometimes. I did a roasted curried grape dish recently that was a big hit, everyone was really surprised at how well the curry and grapes went together.

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    1. Cee, you’re right – the grapes would be excellent in here and give it nice color! Again, my family gets crazy when fruit is mixed with savory but I love it. Thanks for the suggestion!

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    1. Thanks, Annie! It’s a very easy recipe – even my kids think so and their bar is very low when it comes to cooking! 😉
      Try it and let me know how it turns out for you.
      Thanks, Annie!

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