When it comes to easy and comforting meals, Ensalada de Pollo Mexicana is always a winner.
This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This creamy Mexican chicken salad is perfect for picnics, family gatherings, or even as a quick weekday meal.
Serve it with crackers, tostada shells, chips, or inside a sandwich for a dish everyone will love.
Table of Contents
🐓 Ingredients
- Mayonnaise
- Sour cream
- Yellow mustard
- Lemon or lime juice
- Salt
- Chicken
- Potato Cubes
- Canned Carrots
- Canned Peas
- Canned Corn
- Pickled jalapeno (optional)
Additions and Substitutions
🌟 Instead of mayonnaise, you can use all sour cream, Greek yogurt, or blended cottage cheese for extra protein. Mexican crema makes a great substitution.
🌟 Canned peas, carrots, and corn are used in this recipe. Swap out for frozen and thawed veggies. Or use chopped celery or a can of mixed vegetables.
🌟 Want to add more veggies? Thaw frozen spinach or frozen green beans and add to the bowl.
🌟 It’s very common for people to use the jalapeño brine to add spice to the sauce, but this is completely optional.
👩🏼🍳 Step by Step Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, lemon or lime juice, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
- Add the cooked shredded chicken and stir until well coated.
- Drain the cans.
- Gently fold in the potatoes, carrots, peas, and corn until everything is combined.
- Taste for salt and adjust if needed.
- Cover and chill in the refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Enjoy with saltine crackers, on tostadas, tortilla chips, and topped with pickled jalapeños.
🫙 How to Store Leftovers
- This salad is not recommended for freezing since the creamy base can separate once thawed.
- Store any leftover Ensalada de Pollo Mexicana in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- It will stay fresh for up to 3 days. Be sure to give it a good stir before serving again, as the dressing may settle.
- Do not leave this out at room temperature for too long because of the creamy mayo sauce.
🙋🏻♀️ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes! Ensalada de Pollo Mexicana tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge.
Absolutely. Using leftover or rotisserie chicken makes this dish super quick and easy. You can even swap out the chicken with leftover Thanksgiving turkey.
It’s great with Arroz Mexicano and Frijoles de la Olla.
📕 Origins of Ensalada de Pollo
Ensalada de Pollo, or Mexican chicken salad, has roots that go back to the Russian Olivier Salad. In Venezuela, cooks began making a dish called Ensalada de Gallina by mixing leftover chicken stews with mayonnaise, inspired by the original Moscow creation of Chef Lucien Olivier. Over time, this idea traveled to Mexico and took on new flavors. Today, Ensalada de Pollo is made with chicken, carrots, peas, potatoes, and a creamy dressing that sometimes includes jalapeños, making it a favorite for parties and family meals.
🍗 More Mexican Chicken Recipes
- Entomatadas de Pollo
- Chicken Mole Enchiladas
- Chicken Tinga Tostadas
- Pollo a la Diabla
- Caldo de Pollo
- Milanesa de Pollo
- Pozole Blanco
This Ensalada de Pollo Mexicana is a simple yet flavorful dish. With just a few easy steps, you’ll have a salad that’s perfect for potlucks and fiestas. Give it a try and see why it’s a favorite in so many Mexican homes.
😋 Hungry for More
Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest for my latest recipes and videos.
Ensalada de Pollo
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- Juice of ½ lemon or 1 lime
- Salt as desired
- 4 cups chicken cooked and shredded
- 1 cup potato cooked and diced
- 1 8-ounce can carrots drained
- 1 8-ounce can peas drained
- 1 8-ounce can corn drained
- pickled jalapenos + brine (optional)
Instructions
- In a container, add the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, lemon, salt.
- (If adding the jalapeno brine, add 1 tablespoon of the brine here).
- Mix until combined.
- Add the chicken and mix well.
- Then add the remaining ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Taste for salt.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Serve along with saltine cracker, chips, or a tostada and top with jalapeños.
Video
Notes
- Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes! This dish tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge because the flavors have time to blend together. - Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Absolutely. Using rotisserie chicken makes this recipe quicker and adds extra flavor.
Mmm a delicious dip or spread for wraps and sandwiches…this sounds delicious and a great idea for leftover chicken!!
Glad you liked it. Hope you try it!
OH MY WORD does this look tasty!!! This is exactly what I need tonight for movie snacks! It looks perfectly creamy and filling! Thank you so much for sharing!
It’s delicious. Glad you enjoyed it!
This Mexican chicken salad was so yummy! I think it’s the best chicken salad I’ve ever had! Thanks so much for the recipe!
So glad you liked it! It’s delicious
Question for you … the recipe calls for yellow mustard but in the video it looks like you used a grainy mustard. Can you please confirm if you use grainy mustard, Dijon mustard or regular plain yellow mustard? Thanks in advance!!
Either is fine. My hubby is German. He likes his mustard. lol! And that’s what I used in the video. Traditionally, though, it’s yellow mustard.
There is something about creamy salads that makes them so irresistible. What I love the most is that they can be used as a side dish, or in a sandwich! All the flavour, and such a practical texture! Great tips all along, also!
So glad you enjoyed this!
Looks so tasty. I can see how this would be a real crowd pleaser at family gatherings and picnics. Another great use of leftovers!
This chicken salad is the best! Hope you try it
I love how creamy this salad is! I’ve never tried this and would love to add this to lettuce wraps!
lettuce wraps! what a great idea. Hope you try this recipe
I love Mexican food and I also love creamy salad like this! It looks so delicious. It would be perfect for lunch.
Hope you try this recipe. It’s delicious
What an interesting salad. Looks so good the way you have it on crackers! I’ll have to try making this.
Interesting and delicious! Hope you try it
I usually eat a variation of this. Always so yummy. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
So glad you enjoyed this!
This mexican chicken salad was amazing! I had the most delicious sandwich with the leftovers, thanks for sharing!
So glad you enjoyed this!
This looks anazing! Made me hungry just looking at it I’ll have to try
Please do! It’s delicious
Mmmmm…. this salad is so rich and flavorful! It has all the ingredients I love!
Hope you try it! It’s so yummy
This looks like a delicious chicken salad! I think my college-aged son will love how easy it is to make as well as the taste!
So glad you enjoyed this!
It looks really delicious and I am so excited to make this for my son’s birthday.
It is! Hope you try it!
It looks perfect on that saltine crackers. I guess I’m gonna love this with any bland tasting bread.
This recipe is amazing! Hope you try it!
This sounds really flavorful. Looking forward to giving this a try.
It is! Hope you try it
Yum, this would be amazing. I will have to make this during our next movie night.
So glad you enjoyed this!
Ooh my this looks SO delicious!! What a fun and yummy dip…I love creamy dips. This would be a great addition to an appetizer board.
Hope you try it! It’s delicious
This salad looks absolutely delicious and perfect for the holidays! So many flavors in one bowl!
Yes, very delicious. 🙂
This is a delicious chicken salad; I loved all the flavors. We will make it again, for sure. I am thinking of making mini chicken salad sandwiches for Christmas day as an appetizer.
So glad you enjoyed this!