Everything you want from a chipotle chicken salad — bold smoky heat, fresh southwestern crunch, creamy dressing — made in 10 minutes with no cooking required if you're starting with a rotisserie chicken.

The secret to this recipe is Sir Kensington's Chipotle Mayo. It's not just a condiment — it's the entire dressing, the smoky heat, and the creamy binder all in one jar. Add to that finely diced red and yellow bell peppers for crunch and sweetness, black beans for fiber and staying power, fresh tomato, red onion with a bite, fresh lime juice, and cilantro, and you have a chicken salad that doesn't taste remotely like diet food.

13.7g protein per serving, 10.1g net carbs, ready in 10 minutes, makes 6 servings for the whole week. This is the lunch I throw together on Sunday and eat all week without ever getting sick of it.

Why you'll love this southwest chipotle chicken salad

10 minutes, no cooking required (with rotisserie chicken) • 6 meal prep servings from one batch • Sir Kensington's chipotle mayo does all the flavor work • 13.7g protein per serving • 10.1g net carbs — lower with fewer beans • Versatile: wraps, bowls, bell pepper boats, crackers • Gluten-free, dairy-free, no added sugar

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Southwest chipotle chicken salad in a bowl with red and yellow bell peppers, black beans, tomato, red onion, and cilantro

Ingredients

Here's everything you need with full measurements — no recipe card hunting required:

The Chicken Salad

2 cups cooked chicken, finely diced — rotisserie chicken breast or thighs, or freshly cooked chicken breasts (see prep note below)
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed — from a 15 oz can
1/2 cup tomatoes, diced — cherry tomatoes halved or roma tomato diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice from 1/2 fresh lime — about 1 tablespoon
Salt and black pepper to taste

The Dressing

1/2 cup Sir Kensington's Chipotle Mayo — start with 1/2 cup and add more to your preferred consistency

Chicken prep note:

Rotisserie chicken is the fastest option — pull the breast meat, discard the skin, and finely dice. One rotisserie chicken typically yields about 3-4 cups of meat, which is perfect for a double batch. If cooking fresh chicken: season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and a pinch of cumin, sauté in a skillet over medium heat for 5-6 minutes per side, rest 5 minutes, then dice. Do not shred — finely diced chicken gives this salad a cleaner texture than shredded.

Why Sir Kensington's Chipotle Mayo Is the Key Ingredient

This is not a recipe where any chipotle mayo will do. I've tested several and Sir Kensington's is the one that makes this salad what it is — so let me explain why it matters.

Clean ingredients. Most store-brand chipotle mayo is made with soybean or canola oil, added sugar, and artificial flavors. Sir Kensington's uses sunflower oil, cage-free eggs, and actual chipotle peppers. The ingredient list is short and recognizable.

The smoky heat is real. Sir Kensington's chipotle mayo has an actual chipotle flavor — smoky, slightly spicy, with depth — not the watered-down 'chipotle-ish' flavor you get from most mayo brands. It's doing the work of a marinade, a dressing, and a seasoning all at once in this recipe.

It's balanced, not overpowering. At 1/2 cup for 2 cups of chicken and all the vegetables, the chipotle flavor is present in every bite without overwhelming the fresh ingredients. If you want more heat, you can add more — but the base recipe is well-balanced as written.

Where to find it. Whole Foods, Target, most large grocery stores, and Amazon. It comes in a squeeze bottle which makes it easy to portion directly into the bowl.

Can I use a different chipotle mayo?

You can, but the recipe will taste different. Primal Kitchen makes a chipotle lime mayo that works well as a substitute — it's avocado oil based and has a clean ingredient list. Regular Hellmann's or Best Foods chipotle mayo will work in a pinch but uses seed oils and has less chipotle depth. Avoid anything labeled 'chipotle flavored' — that usually means artificial flavoring rather than actual chipotle peppers.

How to Make Southwest Chipotle Chicken Salad — Step by Step

This is genuinely a 10-minute recipe. Here's how to get the best result:

Prep the chicken. If using rotisserie chicken, pull the breast and/or thigh meat from the bones and finely dice into small, even pieces — about 1/2 inch cubes. If using freshly cooked chicken, let it cool completely before dicing (warm chicken will wilt the vegetables when combined). Measure 2 cups and add to a large bowl.
Dice the vegetables. Finely dice the red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, tomato, and red onion. The key word is finely — larger chunks of onion and pepper overwhelm individual bites. You want every forkful to have a little of everything. A veggie chopper makes this significantly faster if you make this recipe regularly.
Add everything to the bowl. Add the diced bell peppers, black beans, tomato, red onion, and cilantro to the chicken. Squeeze the lime juice directly over the top.
Add the chipotle mayo. Start with 1/2 cup of Sir Kensington's Chipotle Mayo. Fold everything together gently — you want all the ingredients evenly coated without mashing the beans or breaking down the chicken. Taste and add more mayo if you want a creamier consistency or more chipotle flavor.
Season. Add salt and black pepper to taste. The chipotle mayo has salt in it already, so start light and build. A pinch of cumin can also be added here if you want a deeper southwestern flavor.
Chill before serving if possible. This salad is good immediately and noticeably better after 30-60 minutes in the fridge. The lime juice brightens, the chipotle flavor deepens, and the chicken absorbs the dressing. If you're meal prepping for the week, make it the night before for the best flavor on day one.

How to Serve Southwest Chipotle Chicken Salad — 6 Ways

This is one of the most versatile chicken salads you'll make. Here are the best serving options:

Low carb options

Mini sweet bell pepper boats — halve mini bell peppers lengthwise and fill each half. Finger food, no utensils, perfect for parties and meal prep snacking
Nuco Coconut Wraps — the only ingredient is coconut, they have almost no carbs, and they're surprisingly neutral in flavor for a wrap
Large bell pepper halves — use a full half of a red, yellow, or orange bell pepper as a bowl and scoop the salad in
Butter lettuce or romaine cups — the sturdier leaves hold the salad without wilting
Thick cucumber rounds — slice cucumber about 1/2 inch thick and top each with a spoonful of chipotle chicken salad
Straight from the container — the most common way I eat this, honestly

Slightly higher carb options

On a bed of mixed greens with a drizzle of olive oil and extra lime
Serve on Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers
Served as a dip with Siete grain-free tortilla chips
Low-carb sandwich with toasted Ezekiel bread

Party serving tip: For parties and gatherings, fill mini sweet bell pepper boats and arrange on a platter. They hold their shape at room temperature for 2-3 hours, look great on a spread, and work for guests who are gluten-free, dairy-free, low carb, or just want something fresh. This recipe makes enough for a crowd — double the batch for a full party platter.

Meal Prep and Storage

How long does chipotle chicken salad last in the fridge?

4-5 days in an airtight glass container. The flavors actually improve through day 2-3 as the chipotle mayo continues to marinate the chicken and vegetables. Make it Sunday, eat it through Thursday with zero effort.

Best containers for meal prep

Glass containers with airtight lids keep the salad freshest and prevent the chipotle mayo from absorbing any plastic smell. I use these glass containers. For individual portions, divide into 6 single-serving containers so you can grab one each day.

Can you freeze chipotle chicken salad?

No — and I'd recommend against it. The fresh vegetables (bell pepper, tomato, cucumber if using) become watery and soft when frozen and thawed. The mayo-based dressing also separates when frozen. Since this takes 10 minutes to make, there's no good reason to freeze it. Just make it fresh each week.

Meal prep strategy

Make one batch every Sunday — it takes 10 minutes and you have 6 ready-to-go lunches. The only thing that benefits from being added fresh is the extra lime squeeze — add that right before eating each day if you want the brightest flavor. Everything else holds perfectly for 5 days.

How to Make It Spicier (or Milder)

The base recipe has a medium heat from the chipotle mayo and a mild bite from the raw red onion. Here's how to adjust:

More heat

Add 1-2 fresh jalapeños, seeded and finely diced — stir into the mixture
Add 1 can (4 oz) of diced green chiles, drained
Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a few dashes of hot sauce to the mayo before mixing
Use Sir Kensington's Chipotle Mayo generously — more mayo = more chipotle heat

Less heat

Reduce the chipotle mayo to 1/3 cup and mix in 2-3 tablespoons of regular avocado oil mayo to dilute the heat while keeping the creaminess
Soak the diced red onion in cold water for 10 minutes before adding — removes most of the sharp bite
Skip the red onion entirely and substitute thinly sliced green onion (scallion) tops, which are much milder

Variations and Swaps

Protein swaps

Canned chicken — use 2 cans (5 oz each), drained. Fastest version, excellent for weekday mornings. See the Classic Chicken Salad post for the full canned chicken breakdown [internal link]
Shrimp — use 1 lb cooked shrimp, chopped. Pairs beautifully with the chipotle lime flavor
Canned tuna — budget-friendly, high protein, works well with the southwestern flavors
Hard boiled eggs, diced — add alongside or in place of some chicken for a different texture

Add-ins that work well

Diced avocado — add right before serving so it doesn't brown; adds healthy fat and creaminess
Corn (fresh, roasted, or canned) — adds sweetness that plays well against the chipotle
Diced mango — unexpected but the sweet-spicy combination is excellent
Shredded purple cabbage — adds crunch and a pop of color
Cotija cheese crumbled on top — salty, crumbly, traditional southwestern flavor

Make it dairy-free

This recipe is already dairy-free as written. Sir Kensington's Chipotle Mayo contains no dairy. All other ingredients are naturally dairy-free.

Make it higher protein

Add a second cup of chicken (bringing the total to 3 cups for 6 servings), add a scoop of unflavored collagen powder to the mayo before mixing (it dissolves completely and adds protein without changing the flavor), or add a cup of shelled edamame to the mix.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does chipotle chicken salad taste like?

Smoky, slightly spicy, creamy, and fresh all at the same time. The chipotle mayo provides a bold, earthy heat from the chipotle peppers in the dressing. The fresh lime juice and cilantro brighten everything, the bell peppers add sweetness and crunch, and the black beans add an earthy heartiness. It's significantly more interesting than regular chicken salad and doesn't taste remotely diet-food adjacent.

How many calories are in southwest chipotle chicken salad?

291 calories per serving as written. Full macros: 21.5g fat, 13.7g protein, 12.5g total carbs, 2.4g fiber, 10.1g net carbs, 0.9g sugar. This is based on 6 servings from one batch using chicken breast and 1/2 cup Sir Kensington's Chipotle Mayo. Macros will vary slightly based on the specific brand of chicken and mayo used.

Can I make this with canned chicken?

Yes — use 2 cans (5 oz each) of canned chicken, drained. The texture is slightly different from freshly cooked or rotisserie chicken (canned chicken is softer and pulls apart rather than dicing), but the flavor is excellent and it makes this a 5-minute recipe with zero cooking. Kirkland Signature or Wild Planet canned chicken are the cleanest options.

Is chipotle chicken salad gluten-free?

Yes as written. Sir Kensington's Chipotle Mayo is gluten-free. All other ingredients (chicken, vegetables, black beans, lime, cilantro) are naturally gluten-free. If serving on a wrap or with crackers, check those separately — Nuco Coconut Wraps and Siete grain-free chips are both gluten-free options.

How do I keep the red onion from being too strong?

Soak the finely diced red onion in cold water for 10 minutes before adding to the salad. This draws out the sulfur compounds that create the sharp bite and leaves you with a milder, more pleasant onion flavor that blends into the salad rather than dominating it. This trick works for any recipe that uses raw red onion.

Can I make this ahead for a party?

Yes — this is one of the best make-ahead party recipes because it actually gets better the longer it sits. Make the full batch 2-4 hours ahead and refrigerate. Bring to the table cold and let guests serve themselves from a large bowl, or pre-fill bell pepper boats on a platter. Don't add the avocado (if using) until right before serving.