Salad: Mexico – Nuevo Leon – Ensalada de Pollo con Chile Piquin (Chicken Salad with Chile Piquin)

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 40 min

Cook 20 min

Additional 30 min

Total 1 hr 30 min

Ingredients

- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, approx. 1.5 lb (680 g) total, cooked and shredded (about 3 cups / 700 g shredded)
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced (about 1 cup / 120 g)
- 1 medium carrot, grated or finely diced (about 1/2 cup / 60 g)
- 1/4 cup (40 g) red onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, chopped
- 6 dried chile piquin peppers, toasted, stemmed and crushed (or 1 1/2 tsp / ~3 g ground chile piquin), more to taste
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp (1 g) ground black pepper
- 1-2 tsp (5-10 ml) neutral oil (optional, for toasting chiles if desired)
- Lettuce leaves and lime wedges for serving (optional)

Instructions

Short Description:
A creamy, mayonnaise-based shredded chicken salad brightened with lime and cilantro and spiced with toasty chile piquin for a sharp, characteristic heat. Served chilled, it works as a salad course or sandwich filling in northern Mexican households.

Regional Notes:
This Nuevo Leon version uses chile piquin—small, potent peppers native to northern Mexico—toast-crushed into the dressing rather than milder chiles used elsewhere, giving the salad a compact, smoky-heat profile. The salad remains simple and creamy (mayonnaise forward), typical of Northern Mexico chicken salads rather than the tomato-heavy or avocado-rich variants found in other regions.

1. Poach the chicken: place the chicken breasts in a saucepan and add enough water to cover, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 clove smashed garlic (optional), and a small quartered onion (optional). Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, and poach until the chicken is cooked through, about 12–18 minutes depending on thickness. Drain, cool slightly, then shred with two forks. Measure about 3 cups shredded.
2. Toast and crush the chile piquin: heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the whole dried chile piquin peppers and toast 20–40 seconds, turning, until fragrant but not burned. Remove and let cool slightly. Stem the peppers and crush them in a mortar and pestle or pulse briefly in a spice grinder to make flakes/powder. If using ground chile, use 1 1/2 tsp (adjust to taste).
3. Make the dressing: in a medium bowl combine the mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, crushed chile piquin (start with 1 tsp of the ground chile if using powder and add more to taste), 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Whisk until smooth and taste; add more chile, lime, or salt as desired.
4. Combine salad ingredients: in a large bowl mix the shredded chicken, diced celery, grated carrot, chopped red onion, and cilantro. Pour the dressing over the mixture and gently fold until everything is evenly coated.
5. Chill and meld flavors: cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours) to let the chile and lime flavors penetrate the chicken. Taste again before serving and adjust seasoning.
6. Serve: spoon the ensalada onto a platter or individual plates over crisp lettuce leaves, garnish with extra crushed chile piquin and lime wedges, and serve chilled. It can also be used as a filling for bolillos or tacos if desired.