Curried Chicken Salad with Cashews & Peas — Creamy Flavorful Lunch

This curried chicken salad with cashews and peas is made with a handful of ingredients that will change the way you think about chicken salad. It combines chicken, mayonnaise, curry powder, sweet peas, crunchy celery, green onions, cilantro, and toasted cashews for bold flavor and great texture—perfect for a simple lunch, picnic, or grab-and-go meal.

I’m writing this from Wisconsin, about to head home, and I can’t stop thinking about the container of curried chicken salad with cashews I left in the fridge. If you haven’t tried this version, you’re in for a treat.

Made with tender chicken, creamy mayo, warm curry, sweet peas, crisp celery, scallions, fresh cilantro, and crunchy cashews, this salad offers a bright, slightly exotic twist on the classic. It’s a refreshing change from traditional chicken salad but still comforting and familiar.

Whether you grew up with a curried chicken salad in the family or this is your first time trying it, it’s an easy, flavorful recipe worth keeping in your meal rotation.

Like other favorite cold salads—Classic Chicken Salad, Easy Tuna Salad, or Deviled Egg Salad—this curried chicken salad is ideal for warmer months and pairs well with picnics, weekday lunches, or beach days.

How to make this curried chicken curry salad

This recipe is my take on a curried chicken salad I loved at a local natural foods store. Bright, zippy flavors combine with crunchy textures from celery and cashews, and the green onion and cilantro add fresh pops of color and flavor.

To save time, I often buy pre-grilled chicken breasts from the deli. It’s convenient and adds a smoky note, though baked, pan-fried, or poached chicken works well too. Once the chicken is cooked and cooled, cube it into bite-sized pieces, then toss with the remaining ingredients until evenly combined.

The result is a flavorful, textured salad that’s great right away and often tastes even better after a day in the fridge.

Curried chicken salad ingredients

This recipe uses simple, tasty components that come together quickly. You’ll need:

• 1 pound cooked chicken breast, cubed
• 1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 3 stalks celery, very thinly sliced
• 1 cup sweet peas (fresh or thawed frozen)
• 3/4 cup chopped toasted cashews
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• About 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

Stir everything together and refrigerate. This salad keeps well for several days and the flavors often deepen after resting overnight.

Serving suggestions

This curried chicken salad with cashews is versatile. Try it:

• On your favorite bread with fresh greens for a satisfying sandwich
• Spoon into romaine leaves for crisp lettuce cups
• Served with crackers or chips for a crunchy snack
• Topped over a bed of leafy salad greens
• With cucumber slices and extra celery for light dipping
• On its own—no fuss, just a fork

Curried Chicken Salad with Cashews and Peas

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

• Author: Nyssa Tanner