Mexican Chicken Salad

Name: Mexican Chicken Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken; ¾ cup mayonnaise; ½ cup sour cream; 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice; 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeno brine; 1 tablespoon taco seasoning (from a packet or homemade); 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (green beans, corn, peas, and carrots, thawed); ¼ cup diced red onion; 2-3 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapenos; ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

I love a quick and easy lunch recipe, even working full-time as a recipe developer, I still need to stop and make a simple meal in the middle of the day. This Mexican chicken salad is one of my go-to recipes because I can stir the pantry-friendly ingredients together in 10 minutes, and it holds well in the fridge for a couple of days.

Using rotisserie chicken is not only flavorful, but a huge time saver. Adding taco seasoning with a creamy mayonnaise, sour cream, and lime dressing makes every bite addicting. Plus, my secret ingredient of pickled jalapenos and fresh cilantro makes it feel almost like a Mexican layered dip (it’s delicious served on tortilla chips!). It’s such a refreshing twist on the classic chicken salad recipe.

Mexican chicken salad on a tortilla chip. — 📸 Photography by **Dee Broughton**

Why you’ll love this recipe

Great make-ahead lunch recipe. Chicken salad always gets better with time and this Mexican chicken salad is no exception. Make it in advance for a busy week, we often eat it as an after school snack too.
Quick to make in 10 minutes. There’s no excuse not to make a homemade lunch when it’s this quick and easy.
It’s great to repurpose into all different meals. Serve it as toast, over lettuce for a salad, or even between tortillas for a kid-friendly quesadilla.

Tips for Busy Cooks

We love to use rotisserie chicken for this Mexican chicken salad to make the prep time only 10 minutes. We’ve also used canned chicken or leftover chicken breasts from dinner the night before for two other quick to make options.

Key Ingredient Notes

Shredded rotisserie chicken – The base of the chicken salad, you can also use canned chicken or leftover chicken for quick meal prep.
Mayonnaise adds creaminess in every bite.
Sour cream – Another creamy ingredient for the base of the dressing.
Fresh lime juice – Make sure to freshly squeeze the lime juice, it adds a brighter flavor to the salad.
Pickled jalapeno brine adds a hint of spice and a tanginess that is so delicious.
Taco seasoning – Feel free to use store-bought seasoning for ease, or you can make your own.
Frozen mixed vegetables – Be sure to thaw them before stirring into the Mexican chicken salad, we like to use green beans, corn, peas, and carrots.
Diced red onion adds a bright flavor in every bite.
Chopped pickled jalapenos – A little spicy and tangy all in the same bite.
Chopped fresh cilantro gives a bit of herbal freshness.

How to make Mexican chicken salad

A glass bowl with the sauce ingredients for Mexican chicken salad.

Step 1: Add the mayo, sour cream, lime juice, jalapeno brine, and taco seasoning to a large bowl.

A whisk resting in the glass bowl for the Mexican chicken salad dressing.

Step 2: Whisk the dressing ingredients well until smooth and combined.

A glass bowl with chicken, vegetables, red onion, pickled jalapenos, and cilantro.

Step 3: Add the shredded chicken, mixed veggies, red onion, jalapenos, and cilantro to the bowl with the dressing.

A rubber spatula is resting in a glass bowl of Mexican chicken salad.

Step 4: Use a spatula to fold all the ingredients together until everything is coated.
Serve chilled with tostados or crackers and lime wedges.

Expert Tips:

Swap the rotisserie chicken for canned chicken or leftover chicken. These are two other great options, we love to keep canned chicken in our pantry for a quick lunch any day of the week.
A quick method to shred rotisserie chicken is using the paddle attachment on your stand mixer or with a hand mixer. It will be shredded in seconds and clean-up is quick too.
To quickly thaw frozen veggies, place them in a colander and run cool water over them for about a minute.
Pat your frozen and thawed veggies very dry with a paper towel. This guarantees you won’t have a watery Mexican chicken salad.
Fold the cilantro into the salad right before serving. It’s best when it’s very fresh, so gently fold it into the mixture right before you plan to enjoy.
For serving options, we love to spoon it onto toast, into lettuce cups, or eat it with tortilla or pita chips.

Variations and Substitutions

If you want more crunch, add a finely diced bell pepper or celery.
Swap out the sour cream for a lighter option. Plain Greek yogurt is a great substitute for the sour cream.
To make the salad heartier, add 1-2 cups of cooked and cooled diced potatoes. Leftover boiled or roasted potatoes are perfect for this.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Do not freeze Mexican chicken salad as it will change the texture and become watery once it thaws.

This Mexican chicken salad is a great recipe to make in advance. We love to make a batch for meal prep on a Sunday to enjoy as a quick lunch throughout the week.

A closeup image of Mexican chicken salad in a beige bowl.

FAQs

Can I use just mayonnaise or just sour cream?

You can, but the combo provides the best texture and flavor. All mayo will make it richer, while all sour cream or Greek yogurt will make it tangier and lighter. Using a mix provides a perfect balance of both.

How do I make homemade taco seasoning?

You’ll want to use chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika and a hint of cayenne pepper. Season the salad to taste since this can become very overpowering if too much is used.

What’s the best way to serve Mexican chicken salad?

We love to serve it on toast, scoop it onto chips, or use Bibb lettuce to make lettuce cups for a lighter option.