Spicy Jalapeño Cashew Chicken Salad

Name: Spicy Jalapeño Cashew Chicken Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 3 cups finely diced rotisserie chicken breast; ½ cup roughly chopped toasted cashews; 2 diced fresh jalapeños; 2 finely diced celery stalks; 3 finely sliced green onions; ½ cup finely chopped cilantro; ½ cup plain greek yogurt (non-fat, low-fat, or full-fat); 2 tbsp mayonnaise; 1 lime, zest & juice; 1 tbsp honey; salt, to taste

A couple weeks ago, I made an Apricot Cashew Chicken Salad that became a bit of an addiction for me. I realized I just love a toasted cashew in a chicken salad, so I decided to make another version.

Introducing my Spicy Jalapeño Chicken Salad.

This one’s got toasted cashews, fresh jalapeños, a bit of crunch from celery and green onions, and fresh chopped cilantro, all in my classic greek yogurt mayo dressing, this one with a bit of lime zest, lime juice, and honey.

There’s something about the combination of toasted cashews, fresh jalapeño, cilantro, and lime that’s just better than the sum of its parts.

I ate this straight out of the container, but it’s obviously incredible piled onto toasted sourdough, wrapped in little lettuce boats, or scooped up with crackers.

Some more of my favorite chicken salad recipes:

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Close-up of creamy cashew chicken salad with mayonnaise and toasted cashews

Why You’ll Love This Cashew Chicken Salad

High-protein. With 38 grams of protein per serving from the rotisserie chicken and greek yogurt dressing, this is the type of lunch that’s easy to make but will keep you full all afternoon long.
No cooking required. Thanks to the rotisserie chicken, this whole thing comes together in about 15 minutes. It’s really just a matter of chopping and mixing.
Perfect for meal prep. This is why I always go back to chicken salads. They come together quickly, they’re super customizable, and they hold up well in the fridge.
Totally customizable. You control the heat, swap the nuts, and use whatever herb you like. This is just a base, and I encourage you to make it your own.

If you love chicken salad as much as I do, this High-Protein Dill Pickle Chicken Salad is a must-try. It’s one of the most popular recipes on my site.

Overhead bowl of cashew chicken salad with toasted cashews and a red spoon

Key Ingredients

This cashew chicken salad keeps things simple with just a handful of ingredients, but here are the essentials.

Rotisserie chicken breast. This is the shortcut that makes this really simple and full of flavor. I like to buy a whole rotisserie chicken, use the breast meat in the chicken salad, and save the thighs and legs for dinner. You can also bake, poach, or slow-cook your own chicken.
Toasted cashews. This is the star of the chicken salad. You can buy them pre-toasted or toast your own for a delicious buttery, sweet crunch.
Fresh jalapeño. This is what brings the heat. You can leave the seeds in or take them out for a slightly milder result, but I like mine spicy. Mince them finely so you get a little bit in every bite.
Celery, green onions, and fresh cilantro. This is where you can let your creativity run wild. This is the trio I go for, adding crunch, a bit of onion, and a nice bright herby note, but you could do apple, red onion, and dill, or any other combo if that’s what sounds good to you.
Greek yogurt and mayo. For my chicken salads, I prefer a mix of greek yogurt and mayo. You get the tang and protein of the yogurt plus the silkiness of the mayo, but you can go all in on the yogurt to keep things light, or all mayo to make it dairy-free.
Lime zest and juice. This is the acid you need to cut through the creaminess and the heat and add an extra layer of flavor. It’s got an amazing tropical note from the zest and ties the jalapeño and cilantro together.

If you like a little heat, my Curry Chicken Salad with Toasted Almonds & Dried Blueberries has diced jalapeños in it too, and it’s one of my all time favorites.

How to Make It

This recipe is all about keeping things easy. If you buy pre-toasted cashews and a rotisserie chicken, there’s no cooking involved, just a bit of chopping and mixing.

Toasted cashews in an air fryer basket for cashew chicken salad

Toast your cashews
You can buy pre-toasted cashews or toast them yourself. Just a few minutes in a dry skillet, the oven, or an air fryer brings their flavor and texture to another level.

Greek yogurt, mayo, and lime zest in a bowl for cashew chicken salad dressing

Whisk up your dressing
Add all the dressing ingredients to a medium to large bowl and whisk until smooth.

Chicken, celery, green onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and cashews in a bowl before mixing

Add everything else
Add your diced chicken and mix-ins and stir until well combined, then keep going for a minute or two. You’ll notice the chicken starts to break apart and you get a beautiful soft, shreddy, creamy texture. This is always what I’m aiming for.

Cashew chicken salad recipe mixed in a white bowl with a spoon

Chill and serve
If you have the patience, let it sit in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes to let the flavors combine. This is totally optional, but it does make a big difference. Serve it on its own, on a sandwich, with crackers, or in lettuce boats.

Want the sweeter version? My Apricot Chicken Salad with Toasted Cashews swaps the jalapeño for dried apricots and tarragon.

Victoria’s Tips

Here are a couple small things that make a big difference in this cashew chicken salad.

Mix longer than you think. Once everything’s well combined, keep going for a minute or two, and you’ll pretty quickly start to see the chunkiness break apart. That’s the texture you’re looking for. It goes from chunky to soft, smooth, and creamy.
Toast your cashews. I promise you, this makes all the difference. It adds tons of nutty flavor and increases the crunch factor.
Adjust the heat level. If you like things spicy, keep the seeds in and go heavy on the jalapeños. If you want it a bit milder, just remove the seeds and pith. The green part isn’t that spicy. And if you want it totally mild, sub for a green bell pepper.
Season carefully. I’ve purposefully left salt quantities out here because rotisserie chickens vary from store to store. I like to mix up my whole chicken salad, taste, and then season to my desired level of saltiness.
Chill before serving. This one takes patience, but just 30 minutes in the fridge does make a big difference.

Swaps & Variations

This is the recipe you can make your own. There are so many ways to customize it. Here are a couple of suggestions.

Cashews. Cashews are my pick, but almonds, pecans, and peanuts all work here. Pumpkin seeds are great if you’re nut-free.
Jalapeño. Looking for even more heat? Use a serrano pepper and leave the seeds in. Want it totally mild? Use a diced green bell pepper for lots of flavor and crunch without the heat.
Cilantro. If you’re one of those people who think cilantro tastes like soap, swap it for any soft-stemmed herb like parsley, dill, or tarragon, or just double up on the green onions.
Dairy-free. Swap the greek yogurt for an equal amount of mayo. It’s still creamy and a little richer, but totally dairy-free.

Cashew chicken salad meal prep container with red grapes and rolls

Storage & Meal Prep

Store this cashew chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You’ll want to give it a quick stir before serving to make sure the dressing and salad are well incorporated.

It’s a great meal prep option, and you can easily portion it into containers and eat it with chips, crackers, or a slice of sourdough on the side, or even scoop it into lettuce cups for an easy lunch all week long.

FAQ

How spicy is this chicken salad?

If you keep the seeds and membranes in the jalapeño, it’s a good medium spice level. If you remove the seeds, I’d say it’s medium-mild, and if you go for bell pepper, it’s totally mild.

What type of greek yogurt should I use?

You can go for non-fat, low-fat, or full-fat here. They all work great. The higher the fat content, the creamier the chicken salad.

How can I make this recipe dairy-free?

Just swap the greek yogurt for an equal amount of mayo, and just like that, no dairy in sight.