This Curried Maple Chicken Salad is a fresh twist on a classic! Tender chicken is tossed in a creamy maple curry dressing with crisp apples, sugared peans, and an hint of tangy sweetness that feels just right for fall. It’s inspired by something I tried at a cafe once a couple years ago and never stopped thinking about! It’s simple to make, perfect for lunches, showers, or weeknight dinners, and the cozy blend of maple and spice makes it feel special enough to serve to guests.
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- Chicken – Costco rotisserie chicken is my go-to
- Celery
- Green Onion
- Mayonnaise
- Sour Cream
- Onion and garlic powder
- Curry Powder
- Real Maple Syrup
- Dijon Mustard
- Apples – I like a honey-crisp or something similar, sweet and crunchy!
- Pecans or Almonds – see detailed options below
- Golden Raisins or Dried Cranberries
- Salt and Pepper
How to Make
- I like to mix all of the dressing ingredients first, just to make sure everything is well incorporated, and I don’t over mix the chicken.
- Add your chicken, celery, and onions and then chill. This salad really does need the chill time because the curry powder flavor only develops after it sits .
- Before serving add your chipped apple, nuts and any other add-ins!
Add-ins
There’s lots of great fall flavors you can use here depending on what you like, and what you have! I love buying candied or honey roasted pecans already bagged from the grocery store (check the nut aisle). Another great tip is to check the salad toppers section where you can often find bags of toasted and candied nuts mixed with dried cranberries, etc.
Storing and Other Tips
- This chicken salad gets better after it sits. Feel free to make it a day ahead of time, even. Just wait to add the apple and nuts until you’re about ready to eat.
- Leftovers are great as well. Just keep it stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s delicious on croissants, bread, lettuce wraps, or spooned into a tortilla wrap or over mixed greens. My favorite though, is scooped up with crackers!
Totally. Besides pecans, almonds, walnuts, or even cashews would be great.
Yes! This chicken salad actually gets better after a few hours in the fridge as the flavors meld together. For best texture, stir in the apples and nuts just before serving to keep them crisp.
Use any cooked chicken you love- my favorite is rotisserie chicken, but poached, grilled, or leftover roasted chicken all work great. Just make sure it’s well chilled before mixing it up so your salad stays creamy and not watery.
You can replace some or all of the sour cream with plain greek yogurt. More that that is up to you. I prefer this salad with mayonnaise, but if you like the tang of yogurt, you are obviously welcome to experiment with that!
Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to about 3 days. Give it a quick stir if it separates slightly after the apples release juices.
Maple Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon galic powder
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 ½ tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- 4-5 cracks black pepper
- 16 oz shredded or chopped cooked chicken about 4 cups
- ½ cup diced celery about 2 medium ribs
- ¼ cup sliced green onions
- ¼ cup nuts (I prefer candied pecans)
- 1 small-med apple, chopped add more or less to preference!
- ¼ cup sweet golden raisins or cranberries
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine mayo, sour cream, onion and garlic powder, curry powder, maple syrup, dijon mustard and black pepper. Stir until smooth.
- Add chicken, celery and green onions and toss to combine. Chill for at least 2 hours and up to all day or even overnight.
- Before serving, add nuts, chopped apple, and golden raisins or cranberries. Lastly add salt to taste!
- Serve as desired: with crackers, on greens, in a roll or croissant, etc.
Questions & Reviews
Sounds delicious, cant wait to try it very soon.
Can the curry be left out? Or something substituted for it? We don’t care for curry.
If you don’t like curry, you can totally leave it out.