• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
The Whole Smiths
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Recipes
    • Cooking Method
      • 5 Ingredients or Less
      • 30 Minutes or Less
      • Easy-to-Make
      • Instant Pot
      • Make Ahead, Keep on Hand
      • One Dish, Pan, Pot or Sheet Pan
      • Weekend Living
    • Dietary Guidelines
      • Dairy-Free
      • Gluten-Free
      • Grain-Free
      • Paleo
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
      • Whole30
    • Meal Type
      • Breakfast + Brunch
      • Dinner
      • Lunch
      • Soups, Stews, + Chilis Too
      • Vegetables, Sides + Salads
      • Smoothies + Beverages
      • Dessert
      • Snacks + Appetizers
  • COOKBOOKS
    • Good Food Cookbook
    • Real Food Every Day
  • Podcast
  • About
    • Meet Michelle
    • Food Philosophy
    • Michelle This Month
  • Resources
    • Discounts
    • Shop
    • Cooking Staples
    • Better Beauty
  • Contact
    • Work with Me
    • Contact
The Whole Smiths

The Whole Smiths

Whole Eating + Happy Living

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Recipes
    • Cooking Method
      • 5 Ingredients or Less
      • 30 Minutes or Less
      • Easy-to-Make
      • Instant Pot
      • Make Ahead, Keep on Hand
      • One Dish, Pan, Pot or Sheet Pan
      • Weekend Living
    • Dietary Guidelines
      • Dairy-Free
      • Gluten-Free
      • Grain-Free
      • Paleo
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
      • Whole30
    • Meal Type
      • Breakfast + Brunch
      • Dinner
      • Lunch
      • Soups, Stews, + Chilis Too
      • Vegetables, Sides + Salads
      • Smoothies + Beverages
      • Dessert
      • Snacks + Appetizers
  • COOKBOOKS
    • Good Food Cookbook
    • Real Food Every Day
  • Podcast
  • About
    • Meet Michelle
    • Food Philosophy
    • Michelle This Month
  • Resources
    • Discounts
    • Shop
    • Cooking Staples
    • Better Beauty
  • Contact
    • Work with Me
    • Contact

Curry Chicken Salad Cabbage Cups

curry chicken salad served in a cabbage cup

This recipe for Curry Chicken Salad Cabbage Cups from The Whole Smiths is the perfect make-ahead lunch. It makes for manageable meal prep and you’ll look forward to eating it time and time again. 

overhead shot of healthy cabbage cups with shredded chicken and curry

I need quick lunches. Well, I need quick everything but quick lunches are at the top of the list. I’ve become increasingly mindful of how I spend the hours of my day now that the kids are home for school and prepping food is something I’m not thrilled having to spend my time doing. In the spirit of a quick recipe, this will be a quick blog post!

Timely or healthy?

However. I’m not willing to comprise healthy eating in the meantime. Fortunately, with the right recipes, we don’t need to. This recipe is an example of that. It takes regular curry chicken salad to a whole new experience. A grown-up experience. With that said. my kids still love it as it has a slight sweetness to it.

I recommend making a batch of this curry chicken salad ahead of time and keeping it in the refrigerator for easy lunches throughout the week. Feel free to also add it to some slices of bread for a good ‘old fashioned sandwich instead. That’s how my kids prefer it.

side view of a healthy low carb curry chicken salad cabbage cup

Lunch without the food coma.

Ahh, the afternoon, post-lunch food coma. We all experience it at some time or another. But we can avoid it. Traditionally the dreaded food coma is caused by overindulging as overeating tends to reduce our circulation and blood flows to our digestive tract to help breakdown the food but also from a high carb load.

I love carbs and don’t avoid them in my diet. However, I am mindful of not overindulging in them and paying attention to the types of carbs I have, particularly at lunchtime when our bodies are ripe for a food coma. Carbs that have a high glycemic index tend to be the most problematic.

Fortunately, this curry chicken salad recipe is higher on the protein and fat scale so you’ll be able to avoid that. Unless you plop it on some bread of course. If you’re looking to avoid food coma, stick with the recipe for these Curry Chicken Salad Cabbage Cups as-is and keep the cabbage. You can also use lettuce to wrap it or add it on top some baby spinach.

Check your chickens. 

Using rotisserie chickens for meals like these curry chicken salad cups are a lifesaver but as always, make sure to check your ingredients. I often find some unsavory things in them. Read that label and if you have a hard time finding one with ingredients that suit you feel free to cook up your own chicken to add. Something I’ve found really helpful this summer is to marinate a batch of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and throwing them on the grill to have on hand throughout the week. I use it on things like salads, just to heat up as-is or in dishes like this. Having quick and easy proteins on hand is always important.

As far as the other ingredients, they are pretty straight forward and self-explanatory.

Enjoy meal prepping this and even more, enjoy the time you save by doing so!

Tips:

  • Feel free to use other types of dried fruit you have on hand, cranberries, raisins, etc.
  • The smaller you chop your chicken pieces, the better the texture of this chicken salad with be.
  • Curry paste will also work in this recipe if that is all you have on hand. the amounts will be different so add it according to taste.

How long will this keep in the refrigerator? 

It will stay good for about 4 to 5 days.

Any way to make this without chicken?

Well it is a chicken salad but I have a solution for you! Chickpeas! Feel free to use a can of chickpeas in place of the chicken to create a vegetarian option. I recommend smashing about a ¼ cup of the chickpeas to add a bit of texture and something for the mayo to “grab” on to.

Is this recipe ok for my Whole30?

As the recipe is written, it is not. However, it’s a quick fix. Simply omit the honey and you are good to go.

curry chicken salad served in a cabbage cup
print recipe

Curry Chicken Salad Cabbage Cups

This recipe for Curry Chicken Salad Cabbage Cups from The Whole Smiths is the perfect make-ahead lunch. It makes for manageable meal prep and you’ll look forward to eating it time and time again. 
Prep Time15 mins
Total Time15 mins
Course: Appetizer / Main / Snack, Breakfast Brunch Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cabbage cups, healthy chicken salad, paleo chicken salad
Servings: 4 -6
Author: Michelle

Ingredients

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon honey omit for Whole30
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 rotisserie chicken shredded about 3 cups
  • 3 celery stalks chopped
  • ½ cup salted cashew pieces
  • ½ cup dried cherries or raisins, currants, dried blueberries
  • ½ cup cilantro chopped
  • 3 green onions light green and white parts sliced thinly
  • 1 head of cabbage leaves pulled off

Instructions

  • In a large bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, curry powder, vinegar, honey, salt, and black pepper.
  • Add the chicken, celery, cashew, cherries, cilantro and green onions to the bowl and store to combine and coat the ingredients evenly.
  • Serve a scoop of the chicken salad in a cabbage leaf and roll into a wrap.

Notes

  • Feel free to use other types of dried fruit you have on hand, cranberries, raisins, etc.
  • The smaller you chop your chicken pieces, the better the texture of this chicken salad with be.
  • Curry paste will also work in this recipe if that is all you have on hand. the amounts will be different so add it according to taste.
did you make this recipe?Tag @thewholesmiths on Instagram
37 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
Previous Post: « Pretzel Crusted Chicken Tenders + Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Next Post: Everything Bagel Breakfast Burritos »
Note: I only work with companies and products that I feel passionately about and that align with the Whole Smiths’ views and that this post contains sponsored content. While I am compensated for the work I do, my opinions and bad jokes are always 100% my own.

you might also like

  • Giant Green Salad with Dill + Cracked Black Pepper Dressing
  • A simple easy-to-make chicken salad that kids and grown ups alike will love. Great for school or work lunches. Paleo, gluten-free and Whole30.
    Kid-Approved Chicken Salad & Back-to-School with Simple Mills
  • Paleo friendly and easy to make Whole30 compliant.
    Paleo Friendly Chipotle Potato Salad
  • Strawberry Arugula Salad + Strawberry Champagne Dressing from the Whole Smiths. Paleo-friendly, vegan, gluten-free.
    Strawberry Arugula Salad + Champagne Dressing
  • An easy-to-make Mediterranean Chopped Salad from the Whole Smiths. So delicious and great to make ahead! Whole30 compliant, paleo, gluten-free.
    Whole30 Mediterranean Chopped Salad
  • Chicken Pesto Cups from the Whole Smiths. Perfect for to-go lunches! Paleo friendly, gluten-free and Whole30 compliant.
    Chicken Pesto Cups
  • paleo chicken liver gravy thanksgiving
    Paleo Chicken Liver Gravy
  • Gluten free sriracha chicken with cauliflower rice
    Gluten-Free Honey Sriracha Chicken + Cauliflower Rice
  • chicken pesto potato
    Chicken Pesto Bites
Real Food Every Day Book

available now

my new cookbook

  • 100 simple recipes designed to keep things easy in the kitchen
  • Health and wholesome, family-friendly recipes labeled for your dietary needs
  • Chapters such as 30-Minute Meals, 5-Ingrediends or Less and Meal Prepping

take a peek

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

available now

my new cookbook

Real Food Every Day Booktake a peek

welcome!

Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the internet, I’m Michelle and welcome to the Whole Smiths. These days I’m a mother to two smiley girls, a happy wife to one fantastic dude and we live in the San Francisco Bay Area.

don’t miss a recipe!

Keep your kitchen tasty with a new recipe delivered to your inbox each week as well as our latest cooking tips, event information and favorite food finds.

REAL FOOD FOR REAL PEOPLE.

don’t miss a recipe!

Keep your kitchen tasty with a new recipe delivered to your inbox each week as well as our latest cooking tips, event information and favorite food finds.

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
These Lemon Pepper + Parmesan Brussels with Caper These Lemon Pepper + Parmesan Brussels with Caper Aioli are one of the December recipes ready for you! Fancy enough for Christmas dinner, easy enough for a Wednesday evening. Bada bing, bada boom.Grab the recipe at the link in my profile. ✨
GF Egg Nog Sheet Pan PANCAKES! Sneak peek at jus GF Egg Nog Sheet Pan PANCAKES! Sneak peek at just one of the recipes coming to you next month.Can I suggest these may be *the* perfect Christmas morning breakfast? No flipping, no batches, no time at all! Not to mention, NO COLD PANCAKES WHILE YOU WAIT FOR THE OTHERS TO COOK! 😳Join us at the link in my profile to get the recipe.
#thankful 📸: @angelaspillerphotography 🤍 #thankful📸: @angelaspillerphotography 🤍
Regular sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving? BO-RING! Regular sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving? BO-RING!CHAI SPICED Sweet Potatoes?? Way cooler.Seriously, chai anything just sounds way cooler than plain anything. Not to mention obviously tastier too. Recipe on www.TheWholeSmiths.com, use the search bar to search “chai sweet potatoes”.
I love these guys so much. That’s it. That’s t I love these guys so much. That’s it. That’s the post. #sundaysnuggles
Obsessed. Let’s talk...🛌🥱 In early 2020 I Obsessed. Let’s talk...🛌🥱In early 2020 I polled my audience because we were on the hunt for a new mattress. You overwhelmingly recommended @avocadogreenbrands. And then we all got locked down and I put our mattress hunt on hold. I bought a cheapie mattress online instead since we couldn’t try things out and none of us had any clue what was happening. Big mistake. HUGE. It was the worst mattress ever. So earlier this year we decided it was time to get a PROPER GROWN UP MATTRESS and went with @avocadogreenbrands.I’m not going to lie, I was a little nervous about ordering online and not being able to “test” it in person. I’m here to tell you it’s one of the best things in my life. It is THE MOST comfortable mattress I have ever laid my pretty little face on. And Brad agrees.Not to mention is green and environmentally friendly.Legit, slipping into bed at night feels like a hug from heaven and I can’t even handle it. I told Brad that, God forbid, we ever divorce I’m taking the mattress with me. So, if you are on the hunt go with @avocadogreenbrands. We went with the Avocado Green mattress with pillow top. And I just looked and they’re having an early cyber/Black Friday Sale. Anyways. Obsessed and eagerly awaiting my next nap. ✌🏼
Gluten-Free Cranberry Bars Personally, one of my Gluten-Free Cranberry BarsPersonally, one of my fave desserts ever is pumpkin pie. I wish it was a year ‘round thing. BUT! If you aren’t pumpkin crazy, not into pies and need something DIFFERENT to bring to Thanksgiving this year, let it be this. Think a lemon bars more festive friend. In fact, it’s great for a Christmas too. It’s available now to my community a the link in my bio. ❤️
This error message is only visible to WordPress admins
There has been a problem with your Instagram Feed.

© 2023 · The Whole Smith · Privacy Policy · Website Design by Anchored Design