This Chipotle Chicken Salad is simple and so flavorful! Shredded cooked chicken is mixed with black beans, bell peppers, onions and fresh cilantro and tossed in a chipotle lime dressing! Serves 5 to 6.
Words cannot express my love for this salad.
Chicken + fresh veggies tossed in a chipotle lime dressing = heaven on this earth.
And heaven on earth is just what I want for lunch on those busy afternoons. I like to prep this on Sunday so we can have it for lunch throughout the week.
Not only is this Chipotle Chicken Salad incredibly delicious but it’s SO easy to prepare! Don’t let all that dicing deter you. The whole recipe can be pulled together in well under an hour.
To Make This Chipotle Chicken Salad You Will Need:
for the dressing:
- mayonnaise
- plain nonfat greek yogurt
- lime juice
- chipotles (in adobo)
- adobo sauce (from can with chipotles)
- kosher salt
- garlic powder
- smoked paprika
- chipotle powder
for the salad:
- shredded cooked chicken
- black beans
- bell peppers
- thinly slice romaine ribs
- red onion
- green onion
- cilantro
- black pepper
Make The Dressing:
In a blender, measure and add 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt, the juice of 1 lime, 1 to 3 chipotle peppers (in adobo) plus a tablespoon of the adobo sauce. Then measure and add in 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon each smoked paprika, chipotle powder and garlic powder.
Blend until smooth.
While the rotisserie chicken was still warm I started pulling the chicken off of the bones and shredding it. Waiting until the chicken is cold will make the whole process a lot harder, and who likes the idea of that?
Make The Salad:
In a mixing bowl, measure and add 3 cups shredded cooked chicken, 1 can (rinsed and drained) black beans, 1/4 cup dice red and orange bell peppers, 1/4 cup romaine ribs (or use celery) 1/4 cup finely diced red onion, 2 green onions.
Pour in the chipotle lime dressing.
And add in 1/4 cup minced cilantro. I always measure this by the heart.
Toss.
Until thoroughly combined. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
I like to serve this with tortilla chips, avocado, pickled red onions and romaine. I’ll eat some with chips and the rest tucked into the lettuce leaves or sometimes, I’ll add it inside a soft flour tortillas.
HOW TO SERVE CHICKEN SALAD:
- tortilla chips – I like Siete chips but use your favorite.
- soft tortilla – Use your favorite flour or grain free tortillas.
- lettuce – Serve on or wrapped in romaine, iceberg or bibb lettuce.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CHICKEN SALAD:
- Fresh fruit
- veggies
- chips of choice
- small cup of soup
HOW TO STORE CHICKEN SALAD:
Store leftovers in a large container or individual personal size containers with a tight fitting lid.
HOW LONG WILL CHICKEN SALAD LAST IN THE FRIDGE?
If stored properly, chicken salad can last up to 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
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Enjoy! And if you give this Chipotle Chicken Salad recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Chipotle Chicken Salad
Ingredients
FOR THE DRESSING:
- 1/4 cup mayo, plus more if needed
- 1/4 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt, or use more mayo
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, about 2 tablespoons
- 1 to 3 chipotle peppers (in adobo)
- 1 tablespoon Adobo Sauce, see notes
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
FOR THE SALAD:
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken, leftover or rotisserie
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1/4 cup orange bell pepper, finely diced
- 1/4 cup romaine ribs (white/light green parts of leaf), thinly sliced, or use finely chopped celery
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro, or more to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
MAKE THE DRESSING:
- In a blender, measure and add mayonnaise, plain nonfat greek yogurt, the juice of 1 lime, chipotle peppers (in adobo) plus the adobo sauce. Then measure and add in kosher salt, smoked paprika, chipotle powder and garlic powder.
- Blend until smooth.
MAKE THE SALAD:
- In a mixing bowl add shredded chicken, black beans, bell pepper, romaine stems, red onion and green onions.
- Pour the chipotle lime dressing and add in cilantro. Toss to combine. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Serve with tortilla chips, tucked into lettuce or in soft flour tortillas.
Notes
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The weather has been crazy everywhere it seems. It started snowing here (in Germany) last weekend and it has been FREEZING ever since. I think we are expecting slightly warmer weather the next few days but I can’t remember that it ever snowed this early!!!
Great recipe, as always. I actually quite like recipes that require some chopping. I find it therapeutic.
Dang. I want this for breakfast lunch and dinner today!
Laurie – I hope all is well and you fared well with Hurricane Sandy! It didn’t hit us in Baltimroe as bad as we thought it would. Thank goodness – although we didn’t have any snow, we did have quite a bit of hail on Monday. This dish reminds me of my favorite chinese chicken salad at a local joint around here – cilantro, lime, pulled chicken, peppers – all in a creamy dressing – it’s THE BEST. I never thought to remake something similar at home, but now I MUST. This looks SO SO good and I don’t think I could stop at a couple wraps – I would just shovel it all in my mouth if I could!
Laurie, looks totaly amazing…can almost taste it from here! It’s certainly a “must try” for me!!!
Yay! Hope you like these!
Perfect offering for the incredibly (early) cold and snowy weather here in the french Jura mountains… (like Antonia)…And, like her, I don’t mind “mincing” (unless husband “forgot” to sharpen them!!)…
I’m going to wrap this amazing filling in huge “Pain de Sucre” or romaine lettuce or buckwheat/sarrasin galette rounds…Could I possible use fromage blanc or greek full-fat yogurt as a sub for the mayo by any chance?..I miss the “creamy factor” of good ol’Hellman’s/Best Foods (what it’s called on the West side of the Rockies!!)…but my daughter HATES mayonnaise….bummer!!!!
Yes you could definitely swap out Greek yogurt! It would give it a nice little tang too!
Holy yum! What a fun twist on the typical chicken salad. I MUST make. 🙂
Yessyeyesyseysyeysesye. 1,000%. Yes.
i don’t even eat meat and this sounds delicious. i might try it with tofu. thanks for the recipe!
Yum, yum and yum again. My first time to your blog, love that you’re right here in the great state of Michigan. I do so have a special place in my heart for all bloggers from here.
Michigan is a pretty great state 🙂
I love this take on chicken salad! I’m making this soon!
I love this!! Thank you for sharing!
I just tried chicken salad for the first time the other day (I know, pathetic) but I actually really liked it! I was very surprised! I’m so glad to find this recipe as well. I’m excited to start trying new chicken salads and seeing how they compare.
This one looks like it will not disappoint, thanks for sharing :).
Hope things are quiet now that the storm is gone. Hope you all made it through sane and safely! I love this chicken salad, looks amazing!
I ain’t afeared of no dicin’. All those colorful veggies make the chicken salad so pretty, and I could put this Chipotle Lime mayo on a whole heap of things!
This chicken salad looks awesome! I love that you use rotisserie chicken – so tender, juicy and flavorful – along with all the bell pepper! I can see how this salad would easily become a staple in my house!
Seriously Laurie now I’m starving! 🙂
wow the flavors combo in this are amazing – i would totally love some corona with a few of these. that would definitely be the best combo since this has that lime in it!
You had me at chipotle, Laurie! I always stock up on that so you know I’ll be making these very soon! I can’t wait to stuff in a sandwich bun with some freshly sliced avocado. YUM!
This recipe looks fantastic. The peppers will cost a bit to get… but the salad looks worth it!
Yum! This is my kind of chicken salad – lots of flavor and some heat!
I love how simple this is!
LOVE a spicy chicken salad and LOVE that you served it in tortillas! Looks delicious!
Wow! This was insanely delicious! I will definitely be making this again!! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
If you haven’t made this yet, YOU SHOULD. I’m years late to the game, but this recipe is absolutely delicious. I’m worried I might eat all of it in one day. I added another teaspoon of the adobo sauce, but otherwise, it’s perfection.
So glad you enjoyed it, Monique!