Spicy Chicken Salad
Simple chicken salad gets kicked up a notch with spicy Sriracha and fresh cilantro for a delicious take on a lunch favorite.
What I love about this spicy chicken salad recipe
I have a new chicken salad recipe, and I’m so excited to tell you about it. It’s delicious, and easy and is…you guessed it.. cilantro! I know half of you are probably not jumping for joy, but I totally am. I love incorporating cilantro into basically any recipe, but the fact that this one is a chicken salad make it even better for me. This one gives you the flavors of my favorite banh mi chicken salad without the added work.
I’ve always been a fan of chicken salads, and one of my most popular recipes is my deli-style cranberry chicken salad (my very first recipe, ever!). But, most recipes are fruity or nutty and not at all like this one.
This one has Sriracha in it, so it has a bit of a tangy and little kick, too. It makes me so happy when I can make things just ever-so-slightly spicy because I think a little bit of spice takes flavor to a whole new level. But, don’t worry, this chicken salad isn’t screaming hot sauce. Unless you want it to. Then feel free to add as much as you want.
I used leftover chicken from my 5 ingredient coconut chicken to make my last batch of this Sriracha cilantro chicken salad because I felt the flavor profiles matched pretty well, so you can definitely do that, just be wary that the seasoning on your leftovers doesn’t completely clash (stay away from thyme or herbs de provence etc.). You could also use everyone’s favorite rotisserie chicken and the recipe will turn out great. You can even just throw some chicken in the oven for a little bit, just make sure you cover it to keep the moisture in.
On a side note, I just spent 5 minutes googling whether or not to capitalize Sriracha. It seems there’s a decent amount of controversy surrounding the subject. Here’s an interesting article on the subject. I ended up going for the capital. Mostly because I think it looks cooler, but I’m curious, what’s your opinion on the matter?
Ingredients & substitutions
- Sriracha – This is what adds the spice, and some of the tang. Your favorite sriracha is all you need.
- Chicken – Use whatever style of pre-cooked chicken you prefer or have, as I noted above, I used my leftover coconut chicken.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
The following is a detailed overview of the recipe steps with added tips and tricks for recipe success. For a simplified and printable version, including ingredient amounts and more formal instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to make this keyword
Combine ingredients. Toss all ingredients into a mixing bowl. Stir well to combine, sometimes using a fork to break up larger pieces is helpful. When everything is well incorporated, adjust salt and pepper and sriracha to taste.
Chill and serve. You can serve this right away, but I like to pop mine in the fridge to allow the flavors to develop and meld into each other. Serve on toasted bread, in a lettuce wrap or however you’d like!
Ingredients
- 3 – 4 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 2 – 3 green onions (thinly sliced)
- 2 small carrots (shredded)
- 1 celery stalk (chopped)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well and refrigerate until serving.
Another winning chicken salad. What could be better! Thanks for helping me build my chicken salad recipe repertoire.
The best chicken salad I have tasted. My family has made this recipe their favorite.
Very good! I used ground chicken and it turned out great!
Thx!