Chicken Salad Chick Jalapeno Holly
Chicken Salad Chick Jalapeño Holly is the perfect chicken salad when you want a little kick! This easy copycat recipe combines tender shredded chicken, creamy Duke’s mayonnaise, crunchy celery and tangy pickled jalapeños for just the right amount of heat. It’s creamy, spicy and ready for your next lunch, brunch or anytime you’re craving Chicken Salad Chick!
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Recipe at a Glance
Chicken Salad Chick Jalapeño Holly
Creamy shredded chicken with finely minced celery and tangy pickled jalapeños for a little kick in every bite.
Total time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Best for: Lunch, meal prep, brunch
🔍 COPYCAT SECRETS UNCOVERED!
I tried Jalapeño Holly at Chicken Salad Chick before recreating it at home, and the biggest things I noticed were the super-fine chicken texture and the tangy jalapeño flavor.
- Get the chicken texture right
- Chicken Salad Chick has a super-fine, tender texture, so simply chopping the chicken won’t quite get you there.
- 👉 I use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment to shred the chicken first, then give it a quick chop to create those smaller pieces.
- Use Duke’s Mayonnaise
- 👉 Duke’s Mayo gives the chicken salad that rich, slightly tangy flavor that makes a big difference in the finished recipe.
- I’ve tried other mayos, but if you’re going for the closest Chicken Salad Chick copycat, Duke’s is the one I’d use.
Chicken Salad Chick Jalapeno Holly Ingredients
Jalapeño Holly starts with the same simple, creamy chicken salad base Chicken Salad Chick is known for, then adds pickled jalapeños for a little heat and tang. You only need a handful of ingredients to make this copycat at home!
- Chicken breast tenderloins – Chicken Salad Chick uses tenderloins, which are smaller and naturally tender, but regular chicken breasts work too.
- Cooking the chicken – you can use precooked chicken, rotisserie chicken or poach your chicken. I bring mine to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Mayonnaise – Duke’s is my go-to for recreating that rich, tangy Chicken Salad Chick flavor.
- Celery – Finely mince it so you get a little crunch without big chunks taking over the creamy texture.
- Pickled jalapeño slices – The star of Jalapeño Holly! They add a spicy, tangy kick, but this isn’t an overly hot chicken salad because the jalapenos are pickled. Want more heat? Add an extra spoonful of chopped raw jalapeños or a splash of the pickled jalapeño brine.
- Seasonings – A simple combination of salt and onion powder rounds out the flavor.
How to Make Chicken Salad Chick Jalapeño Holly
Making this Chicken Salad Chick favorite at home couldn’t be easier! Once your chicken is shredded to that signature fine texture, everything gets mixed together in one bowl. I like to pair Jalapeño Holly with the Chicken Salad Chick Grape Salad (cools down the heat!) for the full restaurant-style lunch at home.
- SHRED the cooked chicken using the paddle attachment on your stand mixer, then chop it a little finer if needed to get that signature Chicken Salad Chick texture.
- MIX the chicken, Duke’s mayonnaise, onion powder, salt, celery and jalapeños in a large bowl until well combined.
- CHILL for at least 1 hour before serving if possible. This gives the jalapeño, celery and seasonings time to flavor the chicken and makes the copycat taste even closer to Chicken Salad Chick.
- SERVE Jalapeño Holly on a croissant or in a sandwich, with Club crackers or over a bed of lettuce for a lighter lunch. I love to top with lettuce, red onion and tomato slices.
🧰 Tools That Help You Get That Chicken Salad Chick Texture
- Stand mixer and a paddle attachment – this is the easiest way to shred chicken into fine, tender pieces (this is key for getting that signature texture)
- Batter Bowl – for combining everything evenly without overmixing
- Sharp knife – helps you finely chop the chicken after shredding and get that celery minced
Chicken Salad Chick Favorites
Chicken Salad Chick has 12 varieties of chicken salad plus a variety of seasonal favorites – I bet you’ll find your favorite combo!
- Classic Carol Chicken Salad – just the basics: mayo, celery, onion powder…and chicken
- Cranberry Kelli – Carol with dried cranberries and slivered almonds
- Fancy Nancy – it sure is fancy when you add fruit like fuji apples, grapes and crushed pecans
- Fruity Fran – similar to the Nancy but replace the pecans with pineapple (and I liked it much better!)
- Dixie Chick – like the Carol but add minced onions
- Olivia’s Old South – adds eggs and sweet pickles
- Buffalo Barclay – with buffalo sauce
- Barbie-Q – with hickory bbq flavor
- Kickin’ Kay Lynne – bacon, cheese, jalapeños, buffalo sauce, sriracha and ranch
- Sassy Scotty – cheddar, bacon & ranch
- Greek Goddess – Kalamata olives & feta cheese
- Southwest Senorita – roasted corn & poblano
- Jill Pickle – dill pickles
- Maui Mama – with bacon, jalapeno & pineapple!
How to Store Chicken Salad
Store leftover Jalapeño Holly in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Give it a quick stir before serving, as a little moisture can separate while it sits.
I don’t recommend freezing chicken salad. Mayonnaise can separate after freezing and thawing, which changes the creamy texture.
What to Serve with Jalapeño Holly
My favorite way to serve Jalapeño Holly is on a croissant with lettuce and tomato, but it’s also delicious with Club crackers or over lettuce. For the full Chicken Salad Chick lunch, pair it with my Grape Salad, Broccoli Salad or Pasta Salad.
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Chicken Salad Chick Jalapeno Holly
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken breast cooked & shredded
- 2/3 cup Dukes mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp celery finely minced
- 2 tbsp pickled jalapeno pepper slices finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1/8 tsp onion powder
Instructions
- Place cooked chicken tenderloins or breasts into a mixer with the dough hook to shred chicken. This is the KEY to getting the texture that Chicken Salad has! After shredding, chop roughly.2 cups chicken breast
- In a large bowl, add chicken, celery, jalapeno, mayonnaise, salt and onion powder and stir well.2/3 cup Dukes mayonnaise, 2 tbsp celery, 2 tbsp pickled jalapeno pepper slices, 1/8 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp coarse sea salt
- Serve with bread, crackers or on a salad.
