Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad is a spicy, flavor-packed twist on the classic chicken salad. Tender chicken, diced jalapeños, cheddar cheese, smoky bacon and cream cheese are the heart of this dish. Everyone’s favorite appetizer has been transformed into the best high-protein grab-and-go meal!
Jalapeño poppers are the ultimate party food! They’re spicy, creamy, savory and just plain enjoyable to eat. There’s never been a popper I wouldn’t eat! I’m also a big fan of chicken salad. In case you didn’t know, I’ve created numerous versions of chicken salad. I could seriously eat them all on repeat!! When I decided to combine my love for jalapeño poppers with my love for chicken salad, I was beyond thrilled with the flavor combination! I feel like I can now justify eating this famous party food as a meal!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Bold flavor – Every bite is packed with the irresistible taste of classic jalapeño poppers!
- Easy to customize – Adjust the spice level, mix in your favorite cheeses or add more toppings.
- Perfect for entertaining – Serve it as a sandwich filling, party dip with chips or crackers, for potlucks, games days, snack or lunch with the girls!
- Quick and easy – Ready in minutes, especially when you use rotisserie or leftover chicken!
Recipe Notes
This Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad recipe is as simple as promised! Just 10 minutes of prep and some time to chill in the fridge is all you need for a family friendly high-protein meal.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make this spicy chicken salad to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Chicken – Shredded or diced. My go-to chicken for recipes like this is rotisserie chicken. Just grab an already cooked chicken from the store, allow to cool and then pull the meat. It’s so easy and delicious!
- Diced celery
- Diced yellow onion
- Cheddar cheese
- Diced jalapeños – Jarred or canned diced jalapeños, plus 1 tablespoon of juice for more taste!
- Bacon – Chopped, crispy bacon or bacon bits
- Mayonnaise – Mayo is best for this recipe, however you can substitute a portion or all of it with nonfat, plain greek yogurt for a lighter version.
- Cream cheese – You can use light cream cheese to reduce calories.
- Spices: garlic powder, salt, pepper
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Extra Spicy Chicken Salad– If you love spicy food, consider using a pepper even spicier than a jalapeño. Fresh serano peppers would be a good option! You could also use pepper jack cheese, a dash of your favorite hot sauce or crushed red pepper flakes.
- Mild Jalapeño Popper Salad – You can substitute the jalapeños for green chiles for a more mild bite. Diced mini sweet peppers would be another delicious option to keep the pepper flavor without the spiciness.
- Lighter Chicken Salad – You can lighten up your chicken salad by replacing a portion of the mayo with plain, greek yogurt. This will also add some extra protein to the dish. Using reduced fat cream cheese and cheddar cheese is another way to lighten it up.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad.
In a large bowl, combine the chicken, jalapeños, diced onion and celery.
Add the bacon, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Mix to combine, then chill in the fridge for 15-30 minutes.
Top with sliced jalapeños, shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon.
Recipe Tips
- Cooked, then cooled chicken – Use cooked chicken that’s been completely cooled. Cold chicken helps the dressing stay thick and creamy.
- Soften the cream cheese – Take the time to allow the cream cheese to soften a bit! This makes it much easier to blend smoothly with the mayonnaise. Sitting at room temperature for 20-30 minutes is ideal.
- Crispy bacon – Cook the bacon until crispy! Extra-crispy bacon adds the best texture and keeps it from becoming chewy once it’s mixed into the salad.
- Chill before serving – For the best flavor, refrigerate the chicken salad for 15-30 minutes before serving! This gives the ingredients and flavors time to meld together and also allows the dressing to thicken.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Use a food chopper – A manual vegetable chopper makes quick work of dicing the celery and onion. This also ensures evenly cut pieces.
- Rotisserie chicken – Using a rotisserie chicken for this recipe not only saves you time but it also adds great flavor to the chicken salad.
- Make ahead – Prepare the chicken salad the day before serving. The flavors improve as it chills, making it an ideal grab-and-go low carb lunch or easy dinner the next day!
- Soften cream cheese quickly – If you’re short on time, but still need to soften the cream cheese, microwave in 10-second intervals until it’s soft enough to mix evenly. Don’t warm for too long. You don’t want it to become too melty.
What to Serve with Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad
Since this protein based dinner has the delicious flavors of a beloved Mexican-inspired appetizer, it will pair well with many of your favorite Mexican side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
Jalapeño Chicken Salad Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
Leftover Recipes
Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!
- Stuffed Avocado Chicken Salad – Slice an avocado in half and remove the large seed. Fill the avocado half with chicken salad.
- Chicken Salad Sandwich – Serve leftover chicken salad on a croissant, ciabatta roll, sourdough or any toasted bread or panini.
- Chicken Salad Wrap– Fill a traditional wrap, tortilla or leaf of Bibb lettuce with leftover chicken salad. Add sliced avocado or diced bell peppers for added texture and flavors.
- Chicken Salad over salad greens – Serve chicken salad over a bed of mixed greens or arugula. You can sprinkle any of your favorite chopped veggies on top for added crunch. Diced bell peppers and red onions would be delicious, complimentary options.
Recipe FAQ’s
How long is homemade chicken salad good for?
When stored properly, in an airtight container, this chicken salad will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
What are jalapeño poppers?
Jalapeño poppers are a popular appetizer made by stuffing fresh jalapeño peppers with a creamy cheese filling, then cooking them until hot and melty. Sometimes they are wrapped in a strip of bacon before cooking. Jalapeño poppers are known for their spicy, creamy, cheesy and smoky flavors.
More EASY Chicken Salad Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy chicken salad recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Pesto Chicken Salad
- Million Dollar Chicken Salad
- Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad
- Mexican Chicken Salad
Jalapeno Popper Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded or diced chicken
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1/2 yellow onion , diced
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup jarred or canned diced jalapeños, plus 1 tablespoon juice (or more to taste)
- 1/4 cup chopped crispy bacon, or bacon bits
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix. Taste, then season with salt and pepper, and additional jalapeno juice to taste.
- Chill the salad for 15-30 minutes or until the flavors meld together. I like to top the jalapeno popper chicken salad with additional bacon crumbles, shredded cheese, and jalapeno slices for presentation.
- You can serve with your choice of greens, bread, crackers, or stuffed in an avocado or tomato.
Recipe Notes
- Lettuce wraps
- Sandwich
- on crackers
- on cucumber or zucchini slices
- Stuffed in mini peppers
- on a hollowed avocado or tomato
- warm in a panini sandwich
- Bacon
- shredded cheddar
- jalapeno slices
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