Cowboy Chicken Salad

Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 4 Servings

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.

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

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.
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.