Copycat Chicken Salad Chick Jalapeño Holly

This copycat Chicken Salad Chick Jalapeño Holly is my favorite copycat recipe from Chicken Salad Chick. It has just the right amount of spice and goes great with crackers or toast!

Chicken Salad Chick is such an awesome spot for lunch. I love recreating their recipes at home. Their Jalapeño Holly is hands down my favorite chicken salad from there. I’m not a huge fan of spicy food but I think it has just the right amount of spice.

If you’re also a Chicken Salad Chick fan then be sure to check out some of my other recipes like their Fruity Fran chicken salad, Classic Carol chicken salad, and their Sassy Scotty chicken salad!

Jump to:

• Ingredients needed
• Equipment needed
• Recipe instructions (step by step guide)
• Tips
• How to store leftovers
• Copycat Chicken Salad Chick Jalapeño Holly

Ingredients needed

For this chicken salad, you will need:

• Chicken tenderloins: I think for the closest taste to the restaurant version it is best to use chicken tenderloins. You can sub chicken breast or cooked and pulled rotisserie chicken but for the closest taste use chicken tenderloins.
• Water: To boil the chicken tenderloins in.
• Mayonnaise: I use Duke’s brand mayonnaise in my Chicken Salad Chick recipes. I believe that Duke’s will give you the closest taste to the restaurant version.
• Sour cream: To give the chicken salad a little more creaminess and balance out the jalapeños.
• Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper: To season the chicken salad with.
• Pickled jalapeños: To give the chicken salad a little spice. Pickled jalapeños will vary in spiciness from brand to brand. I recommend adding a little then adding more, if needed. You can always add more but it is really difficult to take them out if it gets too spicy.

Equipment needed

You will need a large pot, mixing bowl, hand mixer, and food processor.

Recipe instructions (step by step guide)

Fill a large pot with water. Add the chicken tenderloins with the water and then bring the water to a boil.

Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook the chicken for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overcook the tenderloins or it will become rubbery. The chicken should register at 165 degrees with a meat thermometer (or you’ll be able to tell if it’s done when you shred it).

Once the chicken is ready, remove it from the water and let it cool. Use a hand mixer or food processor to shred the chicken into fine pieces. I find using a hand mixer helps the chicken to become very fine, just like the restaurant version.

Next, run your jalapeños through a food processor or finely dice them.

Add the mayonnaise, jalapeños, and seasonings to the shredded chicken. Stir well and then serve. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Tips

• Use Duke’s mayonnaise for the closest taste to the restaurant version. If you can’t find it, try using another full fat mayonnaise.
• You can substitute the chicken tenderloins for chicken breast or rotisserie chicken meat but I think the closest taste is with the chicken tenderloins.
• You can use more diced jalapeños, if desired. The spice level will vary brand to brand so I recommend adding less then more.

How to store leftovers

Store any leftover chicken salad in your fridge. It will be good for three days after making. The jalapeños may cause the chicken to get spicier the longer they sit. You can always leave them out if you’re prepping this for lunch then add them in when you’re ready to serve the chicken salad.

Other Chicken Salad Chick copycat recipes: