Thai Curry Chicken Salad – Eating Bird Food

This Thai curry chicken salad combines fresh pineapple, veggies, thai curry chicken and a creamy dijon dressing. It’s fresh, filling and packed with flavor! Gluten-free.

This Thai curry chicken salad is an oldie, but such a goodie that recently got a much needed photo upgrade!

This salad combines curried chicken breasts with fresh pineapple, red onion, cucumbers, bell pepper and a creamy dijon dressing. It’s fresh, bright, flavorful and filling. Basically, everything you want from a meal-sized salad!

Why You’ll Love This Salad

• Flavorful: This salad packs a punch with the combo of spicy curry chicken, sweet pineapple and a tangy Dijon dressing.
• Healthy: Filled with lean chicken protein and a medley of fresh veggies, it’s as nourishing as it is delicious.
• Simple to prepare: Despite the complex flavors, this salad is straightforward to make with easy-to-follow steps.
• Customizable: Feel free to switch up the ingredients based on what you have on hand.
• Meal-prep friendly: Prep the chicken and dressing in advance for a quick, easy meal later.

Ingredients Needed

• boneless skinless chicken breasts – we’re coating the chicken in a curry spice blend and cooking. This lean protein is perfect for making the salad filling and satisfying.
• thai curry spice rub – this spice rub is used for chicken. It combines curry powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and dried parsley.
• greens – feel free to use spring mix, romaine lettuce, baby spinach or a combo of those options.
• red bell pepper – adds a burst of sweet, juicy flavor with a pop of color.
• cucumber – provides a refreshing crunch to the salad.
• fresh pineapple – adds a sweet twist to the salad and helps to ease the spice from the chicken.
• red onion – adds a sharp, aromatic kick that complements the other ingredients nicely.
• creamy dijon dressing – a super simple dressing made by whisking together Greek yogurt, dijon mustard, lemon juice, maple syrup, salt and pepper.

How to Make

Make spice rub: Start by mixing the curry powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, sea salt and parsley together in a small dish to create your spice rub. Generously coat each chicken breast with the rub. If you have any leftover spice rub, you can store it in a sealed container for future use.

Cook chicken: Warm up a teaspoon of olive oil in a skillet set to medium heat. Add the seasoned chicken breasts to the pan and let them cook for approximately 10 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature reads 165°F. Take the chicken out of the skillet and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing it for the salads.

Make dressing: As the chicken cooks, prepare the dressing. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar and whisk them together until they’re well combined and smooth. Set the dressing aside.

Assemble salad: Arrange your choice of greens, bell pepper, cucumber, pineapple and red onion on four different plates. Top each salad with a portion of the sliced chicken. Finish each salad with a drizzle of the creamy Dijon dressing. Enjoy!

Creamy Dijon Dressing

The creamy dijon dressing is the star of this salad, IMO! It combines the creaminess of Greek yogurt with the tang of dijon mustard, the tartness of lemon juice and a hint of sweetness from maple syrup. Seasoned with salt and pepper, this dressing enhances every bite of the salad, perfectly balancing the spicy, sweet and savory elements.

If you don’t have Greek yogurt on hand or aren’t a fan you can easily swap it with mayonnaise instead.

Substitutions & Notes

• Swap the protein: The curry spice rub would be delicious on both shrimp and salmon, so you can easily swap the chicken with either of those options. For a vegan or vegetarian option feel free to use tofu, tempeh or chickpeas.
• Greens: Feel free to use your favorite greens here. Mixed greens, spinach, kale or arugula will all work well in this salad.
• Veggies: Almost any crunchy vegetable will work in this salad. Consider options like carrots, radishes, celery, cabbage and green onion. Tomatoes would also be delicious and add a burst of sweetness.
• Pineapple: If you’re not a fan of pineapple, fresh mango, papaya or peaches could provide a similar tropical sweetness. You could also omit the fruit and this salad will still taste amazing.
• Dressing: The dressing is what makes this salad, but if you want a different dressing option here are some ideas: honey mustard dressing, lemon vinaigrette, garlic tahini dressing or peanut dressing. Feel free to browse all of my salad dressing recipes if you want more options!
• Add fresh herbs: I love adding fresh herbs to my salads and fresh cilantro, mint or parsley would both be great options in this salad!

How to Meal Prep & Store Leftovers

This Thai curry chicken salad is not only delicious but also ideal for meal prep! You can prep the different components for quick and easy assembly throughout the week. Here’s how you can prep this salad in advance:

1. Prep the chicken: Coat and cook the chicken. Let it cool and then store it in an airtight container the fridge for up to 4 days.
2. Prepare the veggies and pineapple: Chop your red bell pepper, cucumber, pineapple, and red onion, and store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge.
3. Make the dressing: You can prepare this ahead of time as well. Once mixed, place it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge. I like to store my dressing in wide mouth mason jars with plastic lids.

When you’re ready to eat, heat up the chicken (or serve it cold) and assemble your salad as directed in the instructions!

More Meal-Sized Salads to Try

Be sure to check out my full collection of meal-sized salads as well as the full collection of salad recipes on EBF!