As a growing man, I make this affordable, easy ensalada pollo Mexican salad with mayonnaise and sour cream. It features tender fire-roasted corn, avocado, cheese, and fresh cilantro in an elote-inspired dish, ready in minutes. Using rotisserie chicken or poached breasts, it’s a healthy, simple, protein-packed meal with vegetables and a creamy dressing that’s super satisfying.
From years of feeding my family I know it will keep you full and satisfied as a snack on a tostada with saltines or in a sandwich for lunch the next day and makes the best tostadas pasta too so don’t forget to top it with a drizzle of valentina for that extra kick because it will work long after you eat now something you have thanks to this delicious dish.
Mexican Chicken Salad-The Short Answer
Ensalada de Pollo: What Makes It Great
Making Ensalada de Pollo showed me how a perfect, easy, and delicious meal can come from a clean fridge with simple veggies and vegetables on hand. This Mexican Chicken Salad mixes Mexican, chicken, and salad into a creamy, light dressing with potatoes, corn, peas, and carrots, keeping it adaptable and classic.
I like adding southwestern flavors from Street Corn. A Mexican Chicken Salad Recipe that went viral on Instagram 5 weeks ago inspired me—cilantro, lime, and crema made it shine.
It’s my favorite quick recipe, ready in 10 minutes of prep time, easy to make ahead, and perfect for lunch with crackers, tortilla chips, or lettuce. It’s gluten-free, can be dairy-free with swaps, and works for a batch, gathering, or lunches any day of the week.
Fresh Ingredients and Flavorful Additions
Protein Base
- I keep my Mexican chicken salad practical using shredded chicken, pulled chicken, or leftover chicken from a rotisserie chicken
- I sometimes use canned chicken, but prefer grilled chicken or cooked chicken breast from boneless skinless chicken breasts
- I’ve also tried shredded turkey from Thanksgiving turkey, and it turned out great
- I usually prepare 1 pound (3 cups or a cup based on ratio)
- Using an Instant Pot helps cook and shred quickly for easy recipes
Vegetables and Add-ins
- I combine mixed vegetables like corn, carrots, and peas or use mixed bagged veggies
- I measure 1 cup frozen corn, frozen peas, and fresh carrots that are peeled, diced, or chopped small
- I add potatoes like yellow potatoes or russets, cut into medium cubes, then boil and drain
- Sometimes I include green beans, red onion, or avocado for additional flavor
- For lighter versions, I try leaving out potatoes
- I like using fire-roasted corn, fire roasted corn, grilled corn, or roasted corn (even from Trader Joe’s) for depth of flavor
Creamy Dressing
- I mix mayonnaise, regular mayonnaise, or lime mayonnaise with sour cream or full-fat sour cream for creaminess and creamier texture
- For a lighter and more healthier option, I use Greek yogurt, plain Greek yogurt, or avocado oil mayonnaise / avocado oil mayo
- I add freshly squeezed lime juice from a lime
- I include jalapeno brine from a jar of pickled jalapeños or pickled jalapenos
- This brings brightness, zest, tang, and balanced spice with mild heat
Seasoning Balance
- I season with kosher salt 1 teaspoon and black pepper
- I add chili powder, cumin, and paprika
- For extra heat, I use cayenne pepper for spicier spicy bites
- A little yellow mustard (1 Tablespoon) adds vinegary flavor and balances overall flavor and flavors
- I always adjust to taste and keep things optional so I can omit items
Final Touch and Serving
- I mix in fresh cilantro, fresh herbs, and 1/2 cup cotija cheese (or keep it dairy free)
- I soak, then dice or chop fine red onion in cold water for a few minutes to reduce pungent flavor
- I choose between cut smaller or larger chunks (I’ve discussed both styles)
- I follow package instructions or package directions and handle boiled vegetables carefully
- I serve with tostadas or saltines for a complete chicken salad recipe inspired by Ensalada de Pollo with amazing flavor
Step By Step Instructions
- I like to start simple—place potato cubes in a small pot of salted boiling water, then boil for minutes until fork tender (8).
- In a separate medium sized pot, simmer carrots, peas, and corn for 3 minutes until cooked.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk a dressing with mayonnaise, sour cream, yellow mustard, lime, juice, and jalapeno brine until smooth.
- Add shredded chicken, mixed vegetables, and potatoes, then toss to coat everything well.
- I always taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to my preference.
- For a fresher twist, in another large bowl, combine chicken, fire-roasted corn, bell pepper, red onion, avocado, minced jalapeños, pickled jalapeño, cilantro, and cotija cheese (step 1).
- Mix Greek yogurt, mayo, lime juice, salt, chili powder, ground cumin, and paprika (step 2).
- Pour over the contents and combine (step 3).
- Let the salad chill in the refrigerator for a few hours until chilled.
- Serve on tostadas or with saltine crackers, and top with Valentina hot sauce—I personally love how the roasted fire flavor makes every bite enjoy during serving.
Pro Tips
- When I make this salad, I focus on how ingredients fit together, and I like to add simple additions like diced cucumbers, Cherry tomatoes, and black beans since they would add texture.
- For extra flavor, a little jalapeño juice can spice things up, especially in a cilantro lime crema with Greek yogurt and mayonnaise.
- If you’re dairy-free, just omit yogurt and use a vegan option to keep it free and still great.
- From my experience, once you see it come together, you’ll feel confident tweaking the recipe with all these additional touches.
Notes & Nutrition
Notes
When I’m making this dish, I keep it flexible based on what I’ve had on hand. I prefer yellow potatoes, but once I only had a russet potato, so I used 1 medium one and it worked well. You can use any kind of potato you like, whether russet or yellow. For the dressing, I always recommend tasting it before adding mustard.
- some people enjoy it without the strong vinegar flavor
- you can try it without first
- I’ve used both styles depending on taste
Nutrition
From my experience, this salad is balanced and filling:
- calories 481kcal, carbohydrates 29g, protein 26g, fat 31g
- includes saturated fat 8g, monounsaturated fat 10g, polyunsaturated fat 10g, trans fat 0.05g
- also has fiber 7g, sugar 7g, cholesterol 82mg, sodium 839mg, potassium 882mg
- plus vitamin a 1690iu, vitamin c 60mg, calcium 187mg, iron 2mg
These nutrition facts are automatically calculated. I fact check them using my fitness pal, but do note they may not be 100% accurate since they depend on the ingredients used. I usually weigh the total, then divide by the number of servings to get the most accurate grams per serving size.
FAQ’s
What Is Its Shelf Life?
From experience, knowing How To Store it matters; This salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and It stays fresh.
Can You Freeze Chicken Salad
In my experience, You wouldn’t recommend to Freeze this Chicken salad recipe because mayonnaise, sour cream, and dairy don’t keep well when it thaws; the texture separates and turns very gritty. Even Traditional recipes have this, but this is more exacerbated, so I don’t suggest you freeze it since the salad would lose quality because the balance matters a lot.
Is It Gluten Free?
From my experience, this recipe is simple and feels naturally safe; Yes, if you follow what’s written, it’s completely gluten free as long as you keep ingredients clean and basic.
How Many Calories Are in a Serving?
I’ve often asked How Many Calories Are in a Serving, and According to Cronometer, one serving of this mexican chicken salad has approximately 302 calories, making it simple to enjoy a balanced salad with chicken without worrying much about Calories in each serving.
