A spicy take on the chicken salad staple. Jalapeño peppers add a little oomph to what’s already a delicious meal. We especially like the pairing of the chilies against fresh red apple. It adds a light sweetness that’s very refreshing and a splash of color that looks terrific on the plate. Try it on a bed of lettuce, or opt for that tasty chicken salad sandwich.
🌶️ Quick recipe snapshot
| Flavor profile | Creamy chicken salad with sweet apple, corn and potato, and the bright, grassy flavor of jalapeño. |
| Primary heat source | One diced jalapeño. |
| Heat level | Mild. A jalapeño runs 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville heat units, and one is spread through a big bowl of salad. |
| Texture | Creamy, with crunch from the celery and apple, plus the pine nuts if you use them. |
| Best uses | Lunch on a bed of lettuce, or piled into a sandwich. |
| Customization ideas | A serrano for more heat, pickled jalapeños for tang, or unpeeled apple for color. |
| Before you start | Cook and cool the chicken, potatoes and carrots first. Leftover or rotisserie chicken saves a step. |
Flavor notes
How much heat does one jalapeño bring? It ranges from 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville heat units, and here it’s diced and spread through a big bowl of chicken, potatoes and mayonnaise, so the salad stays mild. You’ll taste its bright, grassy flavor more than you’ll feel the burn.
The red apple brings the sweetness and a little crunch. The recipe has you peel it, but if you want that splash of red on the plate, leave the peel on.
Most of this salad goes in cooked, so plan for that before you start chopping. Cook the chicken, potatoes and carrots, then let them cool before they meet the mayonnaise. If you have leftover or rotisserie chicken, you can skip a step.
Drain the corn well so the salad doesn’t turn watery, then mix everything and taste it for salt and pepper before you serve it. The pine nuts are optional, but they add a nice crunch if you have some on hand.
Adaptation ideas
Want to change it up? A couple of these are about the heat, and the rest change the texture or the dressing.
- Want it hotter? Swap in a serrano for the jalapeño, or add a second jalapeño. Our jalapeño substitute guide covers other peppers with the same bright, grassy flavor.
- Want some tang? Use pickled jalapeños in place of the fresh one, and you’ll get a little vinegar along with the heat.
- Want some smoke? Stir a spoonful of chipotle in adobo sauce into the mayonnaise before you mix it in.
- Want a lighter dressing? Swap half the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt.
- No pine nuts? Toasted pepitas or sliced almonds give you the same crunch.
Serving ideas
Lettuce and bread are the two classic ways to go, but you have a few more options.
- On lettuce: Spoon it over a bed of greens for a light lunch.
- As a sandwich: Pile it onto toasted bread or a soft roll, and add a few slices of tomato if you like.
- In a wrap: Roll it up in a flour tortilla with some shredded lettuce.
- With crackers or chips: Set it out as a scoopable snack for a party or game day.
- In lettuce cups: Spoon it into butter lettuce leaves when you want to skip the bread.
Storage notes
Keep the salad covered in the fridge, where USDA’s FoodKeeper gives chicken salad 3 to 4 days. It doesn’t recommend freezing it.
And since it’s made with mayonnaise and cooked chicken, don’t leave it out for more than 2 hours, so put it back in the fridge once everyone’s served.
Like this recipe? You’ll love these too:
- Spicy Beef Taco Salad: Taco salad with jalapeño heat and a cooling yogurt sauce.
- Chipotle Chicken Fajitas: Smoky, fiery chicken fajitas that take about 30 minutes.
- Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich: A grilled cheese with all the flavor of a jalapeño popper.
A globe-spanning collection of 100 bold, fiery recipes — soups, fiery mains, curries, handhelds, snacks, sauces, even brunch — drawn from over a decade of PepperScale favorites.
Wicked Wednesday subscribers save 15% — join free.
Mexican Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast cooked and shredded
- 3 medium potatoes cooked and diced
- 2 carrots cooked and diced
- 1 jalapeño peppers diced
- 1 celery stalk chopped
- 1 can corn
- 1 red apple peeled and diced
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup pine nuts optional
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl until fully combined.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve on lettuce or as a sandwich.
Mexican Chicken Salad is one of my favorite food. Thank you for this instruction.