Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad
Finely shredded chicken gets a thick, creamy coating of cream cheese and mayonnaise, with cheddar, bacon, fresh jalapeño, and scallions throughout. It’s a cold salad that starts with fully cooked chicken, so there’s no need to cook the finished dish.
Soften the cream cheese before mixing the dressing, then fold in the chicken without mashing the shreds. Start with one seeded jalapeño and taste before adding more—fresh peppers vary in heat. The salad makes 6 servings and takes about 40 minutes, including an optional 20-minute chill.
Ingredients for Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad
- 4 cups fully cooked, cooled chicken, finely shredded (about 550g)
- 4 ounces cream cheese (½ cup; about 115g), softened
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise (75g), plus more as needed
- ¾ cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese (85g)
- 4 slices cooked bacon (about 30g), crumbled
- 1 medium fresh jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped, plus 1 small jalapeño or part of one for garnish
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced (45g)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
How to Make Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad
- Prepare the mix-ins: Finely shred the cooled chicken. If the bacon needs cooking, cook it separately until browned and crisp; drain and cool it before crumbling. Chop the seeded jalapeño and slice the green onions. Cut a few rounds from the extra jalapeño, and reserve them with some scallions and bacon for the top.
- Make the dressing: In a mixing bowl large enough to fold the chicken, stir the softened cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the mayonnaise, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until no large cream-cheese lumps remain.
- Fold in the salad: Add the chicken, cheddar, chopped jalapeño, scallions, and most of the bacon. Fold gently until the chicken is coated but the shreds remain distinct. The salad should be thick, with no dressing pooling at the bottom. Taste before adding more jalapeño or salt; bacon and cheddar contribute saltiness.
- Chill and check: Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes if time allows, or serve sooner. Stir before serving. If the salad has firmed up or seems dry, fold in more mayonnaise a tablespoon at a time.
- Garnish and serve: Spoon the salad into a shallow bowl without pressing it down. Top with the reserved jalapeño rounds, scallions, and bacon. Serve cold.
How to Adjust the Jalapeño Heat
For a milder salad, remove the seeds and inner membranes from the chopped jalapeño. Taste the salad after mixing, then add more finely chopped pepper a little at a time if you want more heat. Jalapeños vary, so one pepper will not always give the same result. Wear gloves when handling them if your skin is sensitive.
How to Keep the Salad Creamy
Cold cream cheese can leave lumps that are difficult to smooth out once the chicken is added. Stir it smooth first, then fold the salad gently so the dressing coats visible shreds rather than turning the mixture into a paste. Chicken moisture varies, so adjust with a little extra mayonnaise only if needed, especially after chilling.
Serving and Storing
Serve in sandwiches, wraps, or lettuce cups, with crackers for scooping, or over greens. Bacon mixed into the dressing softens as it sits; add the reserved bacon just before serving for a more distinct topping.
Refrigerate leftovers promptly in an airtight container and use within three days. Keep the salad cold and stir it before serving. Freezing is not recommended because the creamy texture may deteriorate after thawing.
For a warm chicken-and-bacon dinner, try Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole with Creamy Penne. For a different chicken meal, see High-Protein Chicken Enchilada Bowls.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 6 servings: 395 calories, 36g protein, 26g fat, and 2g carbohydrates. Per 100g: about 250 calories, 23g protein, 16g fat, and 1g carbohydrates. Values vary with the chicken, mayonnaise, bacon, and cheese used.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Knife
- Cutting board
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 4 cups fully cooked, cooled chicken, finely shredded (about 550 g)
- 4 ounces cream cheese (½ cup; about 115 g), softened
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise (75 g), plus more as needed
- ¾ cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese (85 g)
- 4 slices cooked bacon (about 30 g), crumbled
- 1 medium fresh jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced (45 g)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
For Garnish
- 1 small jalapeño or part of one, sliced into rounds
- Reserved sliced scallions and crumbled bacon
Instructions
- Finely shred the cooled chicken. If needed, cook the bacon separately until browned and crisp, then drain, cool, and crumble it.
- Seed and finely chop the medium jalapeño, and thinly slice the green onions. Reserve a few jalapeño rounds, scallions, and bacon for garnish.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir the softened cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the mayonnaise, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until no large lumps remain.
- Add the chicken, cheddar, chopped jalapeño, scallions, and most of the bacon. Fold gently until the chicken is coated and the shreds remain distinct.
- Taste and add more jalapeño or salt if desired. Cover and chill for at least 20 minutes if time allows, then stir before serving. If the salad seems dry, fold in additional mayonnaise a tablespoon at a time.
- Spoon into a shallow bowl and top with the reserved jalapeño, scallions, and bacon. Serve cold.
Tips
- Soften the cream cheese and stir it smooth before adding the chicken to prevent lumps.
- Start with one seeded jalapeño, then taste the salad before adding more; pepper heat varies.
- Fold gently to keep the chicken shreds distinct rather than turning the salad into a paste.
- Add extra mayonnaise a tablespoon at a time if the salad seems dry, especially after chilling.
- Reserve some bacon for topping just before serving so it stays distinct and crisp.