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Enjoy a plate of this super simple yet flavorful Ensalada de Pollo, a Mexican-style chicken salad. Served cold with crackers or on top of a crunchy tostada with lots of hot sauce, it’s an incredibly satisfying meal.

A plate of ensalada de pollo.

Listen, I’m not here to bash American cuisine, but when you hear ‘chicken salad’ I’m hoping you think of the Mexican version.

It’s got all the components of a classic chicken salad (mayo, mustard, chicken breast) taken to another level with a few simple ingredients like chicken bouillon and pickled jalapeño juice. Loaded with colorful veggies like peas, carrots, potatoes, and corn, this ensalada de pollo is anything but boring.

It’s the perfect dish to bring to potlucks (just like this easy macaroni salad or Mexican style chicken salad), to have on hand for easy lunches, or a quick satiating snack.

Enjoy in between two slices of fluffy pan de agua (water bread), homemade plantain chips, or your favorite crackers.

Grocery List

Note: You can also use shredded rotisserie chicken if preferred.

Bowls of peas, corn, potatoes, chicken and more.
Find the full ingredient list with exact quantities in the recipe card below.

Step by Step Instructions

A pot of water and chicken boiling.
Bring the water, onion, chicken bouillon, and bay leaves to a boil before adding in the chicken. Cook until they reach 165°F. Drain the water and cool the chicken before shredding.
A pot of boiling water with carrots and potatoes.
While the chicken cooks, bring another pot of water to a boil and add diced potatoes and carrots. Boil until fork tender. Drain the water and set veggies aside to cool.
A bowl with chicken salad dressing.
In a big salad bowl mix together the mayo, sour cream, mustard, pickled jalapeño liquid, and salt and pepper to taste.
A bowl of ensalada de pollo.
Toss the shredded chicken, potatoes, carrots, corn, and peas in to the bowl with the salad dressing. Fold everything together and throw in the fridge until ready to serve.

Tip: Add more or less mayo and/or sour cream depending on how creamy/saucy you like your chicken salad.

A bowl of ensalada de pollo.

What to Serve With Ensalada de Pollo

We usually enjoy ensalada de pollo with crackers, chips or on top of a crispy tostada, topped with lots of hot sauce or pique.

You can also serve on top of a crusty piece of bread or use this salad as a filling in a sandwich. The options are endless!

Other recipes that pair well with this:

Crunchy Deep Fried Plantain Chips

Fluffiest Pan de Agua (Water Bread)

30-Minute Baked Plantain Chips

Optional Add Ins

There are many variations of this recipe across different households and different countries in Latin America. You can easily skip any ingredients you’re not a fan of (sometimes we leave the carrots and potatoes out in my family) and add what you like in a chicken salad.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Diced celery
  • Shredded iceberg lettuce
  • Pickled jalapeños and carrots
A bowl with chicken, peas, corn, and more.

More Tasty Salads

Puerto Rican-Style Potato Salad (Ensalada de Papa)

10 Minute Ensalada Verde

Crispy Plantain Salad (Tostones Salad)
A bowl of ensalada de pollo.

Buen provecho,

Salima written in cursive
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A plate of ensalada de pollo.

Ensalada de Pollo (Mexican Style Chicken Salad)

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  • Author: Salima Benkhalti
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Entree, Dinner, Lunch, Snack, Salad
  • Method: Boiled
  • Cuisine: Mexican, Latin, Spanish
  • Diet: Gluten Free
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Description

Enjoy a plate of this super simple yet flavorful Ensalada de Pollo, a Mexican-style chicken salad. Served cold with crackers or on top of a crunchy tostada with lots of hot sauce, it’s an incredibly satisfying meal.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 16 cups water
  • 1/2 yellow onion
  • 1 tsp chicken bouillon
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 2 cups diced potatoes
  • 1 cup diced carrots
  • 1 cup sweet corn (canned or frozen)
  • 1 cup peas (canned or frozen)
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • 3 tbsp liquid from a can of pickled jalapeños
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Boil the chicken. In a medium sized pot add the water, half onion, chicken bouillon, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil before adding in the chicken breasts, boiling until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F, about 20 minutes. Drain the water and let the chicken cool before shredding.
  2. Boil the potatoes and carrots. While the chicken cooks, bring another medium sized pot of water to a boil before adding the diced potatoes and carrots. Boil until fork tender, about 10 minutes, then strain out all of the water and set aside to cool.
  3. Mix the salad base. In a large bowl combine the mayo, sour cream, mustard, pickled jalapeño liquid, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
  4. Assemble the salad. Add the shredded chicken, cooked potatoes and carrots, sweet corn, and peas to the bowl with the mayo mixture. Toss everything until evenly combined and refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy cold on a tostada, with crackers, chips or bread.

Equipment

Notes

Feel free to use 4 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken instead of cooking the chicken breast from scratch.

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