Spicy Chicken Salad

Make a big batch of Spicy Shredded Chicken and you can easily whip up either of the salads in this post!

I've been making both of these keepers over the last couple weeks and it's been a welcome change of pace in the kitchen. 

How To Make Spicy Chicken 

Of course, all of this relies on a fiery batch of shredded chicken showing up in the house, and there are two main ways to get there. 

First, you can poach the chicken for 20 minutes or so.  Simply cover the chicken with cold water, bring to a boil, and then simmer until the insides are no longer pink (160F). 

Once cooled you can shred it with two forks and then add some fireball seasoning -- more on this in a moment. 

Or instead of poaching you can brine and bake the chicken. 

Lately, I almost always use the brine-and-bake method as it gives you such a great headstart on seasoning. 

Simply add a quart of cold water to a mixing bowl along with 1/4 cup Kosher or sea salt.  Combine well. 

Then add two chicken breasts and let them rest in the brine for 30-60 minutes.  I usually cover them and stick 'em in the fridge. 

Once brined you can pat them dry and bake for 20 minutes in a 400F oven -- or until they register 160F on the inside. 

Let cool for a bit and then shred them using two forks. 

And don't forget to take a taste!  It's amazing how much flavor the brine gives the chicken -- and that's without any spices yet!  You can also use this simple brine technique for Pork Carnitas.

Brining gives you a great foundation and makes the rest of the seasoning process effortless.   Some good chile powder will do the job, but I also add adobo sauce when available. 

So for this single pound of chicken I used:

1 tablespoon pure chile powder  
2 tablespoons adobo sauce from a can of chipotles  More info on chipotles
a pinch of Mexican oregano  What is Mexican oregano?

But feel free to fire up your chicken as you see fit.  If using chile powder be sure to take a look at the label -- some are loaded with unnecessary ingredients and I avoid those.  Here's more info on the pure chile powders I use.

So which salads have I been making with this fiery shredded chicken?!

First up is this traditional Chicken Taco Salad:

If you made the Beef Taco Salad from a few months ago then you're already familiar with most of the fixings. 

For this big bowl of salad awesomeness I used:

• Spicy Shredded Chicken
• Crispy tortilla strips
• Corn
• Queso Fresco
• Avocado Dressing
• Freshly chopped cilantro
• Romaine and Iceberg lettuce

The key ingredient in that list is the Avocado Dressing -- it's super easy to make and I highly recommend it if you're new to it.   

I'll put full instructions for the Avo Dressing in the recipe box below, but here's a quick look at the ingredient list:

• 2 avocados
• 10-12 sprigs cilantro
• 1/2 garlic clove
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• juice of 2 limes
• 1/2 cup water

The other salad I've been making recently relies on this big jar of Curtido:

This is a Pickled Cabbage Slaw that's made using the quick pickling technique. 

If you've made these Pickled Jalapenos then it's the same idea -- simply let the cabbage rest overnight in a seasoned vinegar brine and the next day you'll have some fiery, tangy cabbage that works wonders on Fish Tacos. 

Or on chicken salads 🙂

I use a combo of the Curtido and Romaine as the lettuce bed, and then top with:

• Spicy Shredded Chicken
• Avocado Dressing
• Queso Fresco  What is Queso Fresco?

It's such a quick meal and the tang of the Curtido is the perfect complement to the fiery chicken.

And by the way...the acidity of the Curtido could nearly stand on its own as a dressing, so the Avo dressing isn't as important in this version as it is in the Taco Salad. 

For example, I've opened the fridge before and plopped all these fixings in a bowl:  

• Spicy Shredded Chicken
• Curtido
• Beans
• Cheese

And it's a great on-the-fly meal even if you don't want to make a separate dressing. 

I also wanted to mention that I like the Curtido version best when the Shredded Chicken is cold.  Sure, you could chill the chicken after making it, but I usually just make a big batch and then grab leftovers from the fridge for the Curtido version.  

Okay, I hope this post gives you some new ideas for the coming week! 

If you're new to the brine and bake method then consider giving it a go -- it's such an easy way to get some well-seasoned chicken in the kitchen.

Buen Provecho.

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Want to see the latest recipe?  It's this Roasted Poblano Soup.