Description
A creamy, spicy, and keto-friendly chicken salad inspired by jalapeño poppers, ready in just 20 minutes. Perfect for quick dinners, meal prep, or low-carb snacks.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken (about 450g / 1 lb)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (115g)
- ½ cup mayonnaise, full-fat (120ml)
- 2 medium jalapeños, seeded and diced
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (100g)
- 3 stalks green onions, sliced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15ml)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional add-ins: crumbled bacon, diced avocado, fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Prep your ingredients by dicing jalapeños (remove seeds for less heat), slicing green onions, shredding cooked chicken if needed, and shredding cheddar cheese if not pre-shredded. Soften cream cheese ahead of time.
- In a mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese and mayonnaise. Stir until smooth and creamy.
- Add garlic powder, smoked paprika, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to the creamy base. Stir well to blend flavors.
- Fold in shredded chicken, diced jalapeños, sliced green onions, and shredded cheddar cheese until everything is evenly combined.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, lemon juice, or jalapeños for extra heat if desired.
- Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes to let flavors meld.
Notes
Use rotisserie chicken for convenience and flavor. Soften cream cheese before mixing to avoid lumps. Adjust jalapeño seeds to control heat. Salad keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Optional add-ins include bacon, avocado, or cilantro. Not recommended to freeze due to cream cheese and mayo texture changes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1/6 of the rec
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 24
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 4
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 28
Keywords: jalapeño popper chicken salad, keto chicken salad, low carb chicken salad, creamy chicken salad, spicy chicken salad, keto recipe, quick dinner