Pineapple Chicken Salad with Curry Dressing

This chicken pineapple salad is a delicious mix of sweet and savory ingredients. The creamy curry dressing adds so much flavor to the salad, while the almonds and celery give it a satisfying crunch.

Our Hawaiian-inspired chicken salad is an easy recipe that is perfect for lunch. Tip: If you want to cut down on time in the kitchen, swap out rotisserie chicken for the cooked chicken in this recipe.

Here is Why This Recipe Works

This curry chicken salad with pineapple has a bold flavor from the curry. Not all curry powders have the same spice level, so you may need to adjust the amount of curry. 

• The creamy curry dressing gives the salad a deep rich flavor that compliments the sweet and savory taste. 
  
• The addition of Greek yogurt lightens the dressing and gives it a slight tang. 
  
• Toasting the almonds intensifies the nutty flavor and gives them extra crunch. 
  
• You can serve the salad in pineapple bowls for a festive presentation or just use regular bowls if you want something quick.

This chicken salad with curry is perfect for sandwiches, lettuce wraps, or served with crackers. It’s easy to make, and you can prep it ahead of time for a quick lunch or dinner on the go! If you like this recipe, you will like our pineapple chicken sandwich and our rosemary chicken salad sandwich.

The Ingredients for Pineapple Chicken Salad

Here is a list of the ingredients you will need for this recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details. 

• Pineapple chunks. We used fresh pineapple but you can use frozen or canned pineapple if you don’t want to serve the salad in pineapple bowls. 
  
• Chicken. You can cook a few chicken breasts or just purchase a rotisserie chicken to make this chicken salad recipe even more effortless. 
  
• Celery. 
  
• Red onion.
  
• Parsley.
  
• Almond slivers. Toasting the almond slivers will make them taste even better and keep them crunchy longer. 

For Creamy Curry Dressing

• Pineapple juice. We used the juice from the fresh pineapple. If you use frozen pineapple, squeeze the juice out of several chunks of pineapple. 
  
• Lemon juice. 
  
• Garlic. Fresh garlic will give the dressing a more vibrant flavor than dried garlic. 
  
• Greek yogurt.
  
• Mayonnaise. Mayonnaise adds extra creaminess and flavor, but you can substitute it with more yogurt if you want to cut down on the fat calories. 
  
• Curry powder.
  
• Salt and pepper.

How to Make It

Here is a brief overview to get an idea of what to expect with this recipe for chicken salad with pineapple. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.

1. Cook and dice the chicken or shred a rotisserie chicken. 
2. Add the chicken salad ingredients to a mixing bowl.
3. Make the curry dressing.
4. Pour some of the curry dressing over the chicken salad and stir well to combine. 
5. Save the extra pineapple curry dressing for a tossed green salad or a salmon salad. 

Tips for Success

• If you want to serve the chicken salad in pineapple bowls, check out our post detailing how to hollow out the pineapples.  
  
• Did you know you can cook frozen chicken in the Instant Pot? It is a time saver if you forget to thaw your chicken. 
  
• You can use leftover chicken from roasted chicken, chicken cutlets, or even baked chicken thighs. Chill the chicken before you make the salad. Don’t add hot chicken to the salad.
   
• Add the curry powder in increments and taste as you go. Some brands of curry powder have different amounts of spices, and some are hotter than others. 
  
• You will have extra curry dressing. Use it as a dip, salad dressing, or marinade. You can save the extra dressing for one week.
  
• If you make this chicken salad in advance, keep the dressing on the side until it is time to serve the salad. Mix the dressing in right before serving. The dressing has pineapple juice and the enzymes in the pineapple juice will break down the meat and change the texture of the chicken.
  
• The pineapple curry dressing makes a fantastic marinade due to the fact mentioned above.

This Hawaiian chicken salad packs a big flavor punch that will bring you back for more. With a medley of diced pineapple, red onion, almonds, and parsley, this salad is bursting with freshness. If you have extra pineapple, save it for a caramelized pineapple upside-down cake.

Helpful Tools

Some of the following are affiliate links. If you click on these links and purchase something, we may receive a small commission. You don’t pay any extra but it will help us keep the lights on. 

• Mixing bowls
• Chef’s knife
• Curry powder. Curry Madras is a bit spicier than Thai red curry powder.

Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love:

Our Thai coconut chicken curry is a one-pot meal that is full of flavor. Coconut cream adds a rich creaminess to the dish that tastes amazing served over basil rice. If you feel inspired, make your own curry paste.

Have you ever tried grilled pineapple? Grilling fruit brings out the sweetness and adding a sprinkle of cinnamon amplifies this dessert. It is always a favorite.

Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice is a delicious, spicy, and sweet combination of flavors! This variation on classic fried rice includes a touch of Thai curry, making the dish taste like it came from your favorite Thai restaurant.

More Chicken Salad Recipes

• Southwestern chicken salad bowl
• Saigon chicken salad
• Tarragon chicken salad
• Chicken larb salad
• Barley and chicken salad
• Avocado and chicken salad
• Cranberry chicken salad

Pineapple Chicken Salad with Curry Dressing

A delightful mix of chicken and pineapple with a delicate creamy curry dressing. Toasted almonds and celery add a delightful crunch. If you use fresh pineapple, you can serve the salad in the hollowed-out pineapples.

You will have extra pineapple curry dressing that you can use for a dip, dressing, or marinade. See the notes if you plan to make the salad in advance.

4.80 from 15 votes

Print Pin Save Saved!

Prep Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 275kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

• Optional: 2 fresh pineapples for pineapple bowls
• 2 cups pineapple chunks fresh, frozen, or canned
• 4 cooked chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 stalks of celery 8” long diced
• ½ red onion diced
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• ½ cup blanched almond slivers toasted
• ½ cup Creamy Pineapple-Curry Dressing recipe below

Creamy Pineapple-Curry Dressing

• ½ cup Greek yogurt
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup fresh pineapple juice* see notes
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 to 3 teaspoons curry powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• If you want to serve the chicken salad in pineapple bowls, see our post that details how to make pineapple bowls. Save the juices that accumulate when you slice the pineapple.
• In a large bowl combine the pineapple chunks, chicken, celery, onion, parsley, and toasted almonds.

Creamy Pineapple-Curry Dressing

• Make the dressing in a separate bowl. Combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, pineapple juice, lemon juice, and garlic. Whisk in 1 teaspoon of curry powder and taste. Add additional curry powder if desired. Season with salt and pepper.
• Mix ½ cup of the salad dressing to the salad and toss together to moisten well. Serve the salad in pineapple bowls if desired.

Notes

• If you want to use a store-bought rotisserie chicken, measure out 3 cups of shredded or diced chicken.
• To toast the almond slivers, place them in the oven at 350°F for 5 to 8 minutes until golden brown. Stir them frequently and keep a close eye on them. Almonds tend to burn very quickly.
• We needed 1-1/2 pineapples to get two cups of fresh pineapple chunks. If you have an exceptionally large pineapple, you may only need 1 pineapple.
• If you use canned pineapple chunks, save the pineapple juice from the can for the dressing. If you use frozen pineapple or pre-cut fresh pineapple, squish some of the pineapple chunks to make enough juice for the dressing.
• Depending on the brand of curry powder you use, you may want to add more than 1 teaspoon of curry powder. Taste the dressing and add additional curry if desired.
• If you make this salad in advance, keep the dressing separate until it is time to serve. The enzymes in the pineapple juice that is in the dressing will break the chicken down and change the texture. It is one of the reasons the dressing doubles as a great marinade.
• Nutrition information does not include the dressing. Three tablespoons of the salad dressing has 70 calories.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 285mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 22g

Click here to follow us on Pinterest!

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

This recipe was originally published on March 17, 2014. We updated the photos in the recipe and added a few tips. We left one of the original photos below.