This spicy, zesty curried chicken salad is incredibly yummy and a hit with everyone~even those who are not huge fans of curry! It is delicious!

When Zane and I were newly weds, we moved to Dothan, Alabama, where we lived for three years. While there, one of my favorite places to eat was The Basketcase Cafe. It was the hot spot back then, and I am sure it still is today. If you ever travel through Dothan, I highly recommend a lunch stop here (and definitely try the chicken salad).

I worked for years to create a similar tasting version of the Basketcase Cafe’s curried chicken salad. I have no idea how close I am to the original, but in the process of trying, I’ve come up with a yummy version that we all love.

The huge zesty kick that you’ll taste in this chicken salad comes from the mayonnaise dressing that is seasoned with curry, chutney, and Wickles.

What is Curry powder?

Curry powder, very popular in Indian cuisine,  is a mixture of up to 20 spices, herbs, and seeds made into a single powder. I buy my curry powder at Penzey’s, where they have several variations that you can smell before buying.

What is chutney?

Chutney is basically a savory jam with ingredients like vinegar, mustard seed, and onion. It has a spicy kick and is great with cheese on a charcuterie board or spread on melted cheese sandwiches. I love The Virginia Chutney Company’s Major Grey’s mango chutney; it is FAB! I used to find this at The Fresh Market, but now I order directly from the company online.

What are Wickles? 

Wickles pickles are my favorite spicy pickle. I use the relish and/or the pickles (which I chop) for this chicken salad~depending upon which one is in the fridge. To find a store near you, visit the Wickles website.

Curried Chicken Salad and Sweet Breads are a Perfect Combination

This curried chicken salad pairs especially well with fresh seasonal fruit and a sweet bread. My favorite summer sweet bread is this Strawberry Pecan Nut Bread. In Fall, I love serving this chicken salad with my pumpkin pecan bread.

How do you cook chicken for chicken salad?

I cut boneless skinless breasts into smaller tenderloin size pieces (for quicker more even baking), drizzle them with extra virgin olive oil, and cover then with foil. I bake them at 400 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. After they are done baking, I let them sit, covered, for about half an hour for the juices to settle. See how I do this in the  short video below.

Use a Mixer or Food Processor for The Best Consistency

Chicken salad looks and tastes best is the chicken is finely chopped or shredded to a uniform consistency. I used my Ninja processor to finely chop the chicken (in these photos); however, I now use my new Kitchenaid and love it. In the video below, I show how I make this chicken salad using my Kitchenaid.

My Kitchenaid is truly my favorite kitchen workhorse. If you want to make cooking and food prep much easier, I can’t recommend it enough. Below are my favorite colors. Buy what you love, and keep it on the counter. Let it be a kitchen accessory as well as a useful appliance:-) Find my favorite kitchen workhorses here on my amazon page.

The recipe is below; I do hope you’ll try it and leave feedback in the comments of the post. As always, I am so grateful that you stopped by and wish you a joyful, blessed & savvy day!!!