My "Cowboy Chicken Salad" Has a Creamy Sauce You'll Want to Put on Everything

If your meal plan looks like the Wild West, it’s time to wrangle it into shape. With a rotisserie chicken from the deli and a few pantry staples, you can make a chicken salad that works for lunch or dinner and takes just a few minutes to put together. Every recipe for chicken salad has one ingredient that sets it apart. Sometimes grapes are stirred in to add a sweet burst of flavor, while celery seeds are a must-have for tearoom-style chicken salad. Inspired by the smoky Southwest flavors that any cowboy on the ranch would love, my new go-to is this cowboy chicken salad. It starts with smoky flavors and has hearty beans and briny, spicy heat from pickled jalapeños for the very best chicken salad.

Why You’ll Love It

• So good, you’ll eat it straight from the bowl. This chicken salad is packed with smoky, citrus-y flavor and hearty, colorful mix-ins that keep you coming back for more.

• Pickled jalapeños are the star. These pickled peppers add a briny bite that sets this chicken salad apart from any other you’ve tried.

Key Ingredients in Cowboy Chicken Salad

• Chicken: You’ll need 1 pound (or about 3 cups) of shredded, cooked chicken. This is the same amount of meat that you can get from a rotisserie chicken, or you can use chicken breasts or thighs that you cook yourself.

• Pickled jalapeños: The ingredient that gives this chicken salad its yee-haw!

• Black beans: Drain and rinse canned black beans before adding to the bowl.

• Corn: Set 1 cup of frozen corn kernels out on the counter to thaw while you prep the rest of the ingredients, or toss them into the strainer with the black beans and rinse with cool water until thawed.

• Seasonings: Smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, and ground cumin give this chicken salad smoky flavor, while freshly squeezed lime juice adds bright citrus flavor.

Cowboy Chicken Salad Recipe

Saddle-up for this Southwestern take on chicken salad.

Prep time 20 minutes to 25 minutes

Makes 6 cups

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from 1 medium lime)

• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed

• 1 pound shredded, cooked chicken (about 3 cups)

• 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes (about 10 ounces), halved or quartered if large

• 1 (about 15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 cup thawed frozen corn kernels

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeños, coarsely chopped

• 1/4 small red onion, finely chopped (1/3 cup)

• Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for serving (optional)

Instructions

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1. Whisk 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, 1/4 ground cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper together in a large bowl.

2. Stir in 1 pound shredded, cooked chicken, 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes, 1 drained and rinsed (15-ounce) can black beans, 1 cup thawed frozen corn kernels, 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pickled jalapeños, and 1/4 finely chopped small red onion. Taste and season with more kosher salt or black pepper as needed. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro leaves if desired.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The chicken salad can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container.

Storage: Leftover chicken salad can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

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