Smoky Chipotle Chicken Salad
on Jun 03, 2018, Updated Aug 01, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This chicken salad has a little heat and a lot of crunch.
Smoky, slightly spicy, popping with flavor, this is a chicken salad that will not have anyone yawning.
Poached Chicken for Chicken Salad
To make your own poached chicken breasts for this recipe, see the Note below the recipe. Poaching boneless chicken breasts is ridiculously easy and a great thing to know if you are a fan of chicken salad or if you need quick-cooked and shredded chicken for dishes like enchiladas on a regular basis.
Rotisserie Chicken for Chicken Salad
Otherwise, if you shred the breasts and thighs of a purchased rotisserie chicken, you should end up with about the right amount for this recipe. For a homemade alternative, learn how to roast a chicken, and think about making two at once just to have the leftovers.
If I use rotisserie chicken for a chicken salad, I save the bones, skin, and wings and then simmer them in some less-sodium chicken broth to make an enriched stock to use later in a soup, or a risotto, or something like that. It’s a total stock shortcut, and because rotisserie chicken skin is usually such a nice burnished brown, the stock has a gorgeous deep color as well.
I save the drumsticks because there is nothing Charlie and Gary like better than a cold drumstick, and you don’t get all the much more meat from them anyway – might as well let the boys have their snack.
How to Serve Smoky Chipotle Chicken Salad
This chicken salad is great in a deli roll, heaped on toasted bread or crostini, or piled on top of a salad. It definitely has a kick – if you want a subtler dose of heat, you can use less of the chipotles.
Chipotles in Adobo in Chicken Salad
To make pureed chipotles in adobo sauce, just dump a can of them into a food processor and blend until combined. This will keep for a week in a covered container in the refrigerator. Scoop out teaspoons or more to bring a bit of smoky heat to all kinds of soups, stews, sauces, casseroles, and dressings.
I have noticed that the heat level gets a bit more pronounced the longer you have stored the paste, so be aware of that little piece of info. Taste the dressing (knowing that once the chicken is added, that will defuse the heat a bit), and add more as desired.
Sub in scallions for the onions if you like, and play around with other fresh herbs. The chicken salad will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
More Chipotle Recipes to Try
- Easy Chipotle Sliders
- Chipotle Deviled Eggs
- Chipotle Beef Burgers
- Pasta Salad with Chicken and Chipotle Dressing
Smoky Chipotle Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon pureed chipotles in adobo (see Cooking Tip)
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- ½ cup finely diced celery
- ½ cup finely diced onion (red or yellow)
- ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (white or dark meat, or a combination)
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, pureed chipotles, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Stir in the celery, onions, pepper, and chicken until the chicken salad is well combined. Serve chilled.
Notes
- Place 4 boneless chicken breasts in a pot large enough so that they at least close to being in a single layer. Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the top. You can add in seasonings: ideas are a bay leaf, sliced onions, fresh herbs, halved lemons or limes, a few splashes of white wine.
- Cover the chicken with cold water. Bring the water to a boil. You’ll probably see some white scummy foam collecting on the surface as the water comes to a boil — if you’ll be using the poaching liquid for a soup or other recipe, you can skim this off; otherwise, it’s fine to leave it.
- Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the liquid and wait at least a few minutes before slicing, dicing or shredding.
Excellent and easy. After making it as written, I ended up making a few changes for my personal taste. I found I didn’t care for the thyme, so I now omit it. If I use chicken breast (versus dark meat), I double or even triple the amount of dressing, since chicken breast tends to be dry. I’ve made this several times, and it’s been a consistent hit every time. I also increase the amount of chipotles because I like it spicy, but you don’t have to. This is definitely a keeper!
Your changes sound great! And I like things hot as well…