Green Chile Chicken Salad

Hatch chiles and bacon take this easy green chile chicken salad to the next level!  Serve it at your next picnic, party, or family gathering.

This post was sponsored by the Hatch Chile Store.  All opinions are my own.

Green Chile Chicken Salad

I grew up on chicken salad—the southern kind, with eggs and a touch of mustard to go with the chicken and mayonnaise.

But when I received a package of the hatch chiles everyone raves about from the Hatch Chile Store, I decided to experiment.

At the Hatch Chile Store, the 5th generation of family farmers grow, sell, and ship the chiles straight from New Mexico to your door.  

Since the Hatch Chile Store chiles are already prepped, it makes it simple to add that unique hatch chile flavor to anything.  My hatch chiles arrived roasted, chopped, and flash-frozen in perfect condition.

They come in several heat levels:

• Mild Roasted Hatch Green Chiles,
• Medium Roasted Hatch Green Chiles,
• Hot Roasted Hatch Green Chiles.

I popped one bag in the refrigerator to defrost, and the rest into the freezer for future recipes.

Ingredients

This chicken salad is made with just a few simple ingredients. 

The chicken, chiles, mayo, and bacon should be cold for best results (too much warmth can make your mayo melt down).

Chicken

You can use any cooked chicken you like.  I prefer skillet cooked tenderloins or breasts, but you can oven-bake if you prefer. 

Be sure to shred the chicken while it’s warm—it’s much easier to shred it warm than cold—then chill it thoroughly before using in this recipe.

Hatch Chiles

Mine came from the Hatch Chile Store, ready to use.  If you’ve never had hatch chiles before, you will be amazed by the flavor they add. 

I used medium heat, which I found gives the flavor a tiny kick without actually being hot.  You can find the exact ones I used here.

Bacon Crumbles

I like to crumble my own from whole pieces.  It tastes so much better than the packaged “bacon bits.”

Mayonnaise

The classic binding ingredient for chicken salad.

Salt and Pepper

Table salt works great.  You can use pre-ground pepper, but if you have fresh-ground pepper, so much the better! 

Since each of the other ingredients can vary in their level of salt, the recipe instructions indicate that the seasonings should be used “to taste” rather than a specific measurement (to avoid over- or under-seasoning).

Get More Hatch Chile Recipes

• Hatch Chile Pimento Cheese
• Hatch Chile Cheese Grits
• Green Chile Enchilada Soup
• Green Chile Mac and Cheese
• Hatch Green Chile Queso
• Find even more on Hatch Chile Recipe Central.

Tips for Making Green Chile Chicken Salad

• Pick up the best hatch chiles here.
• Remember to chill the chicken, chiles, mayo, and bacon before beginning the recipe.
• Add extra chiles or bacon a little bit at a time and taste as you go to make sure the flavor stays balanced.
• The chicken salad can be served immediately after preparing, but if you can let it rest for an hour or even overnight, the flavor has time to develop even more.
• When storing, make sure to cover tightly so the chicken salad doesn’t dry out.  You can always add a bit more mayo if you need more moisture, though.
• Serve on sandwiches or on lettuce, like a salad.  I like to garnish with sliced ripe avocado and a tomato slice or two.

Check out the Hatch Chile Store for more green chile options like fresh chiles, dried chiles, salsas, sauces, and even fully prepared foods like rellenos, tamales, and chimichangas!

5 from 7 votes

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Green Chile Chicken Salad

Hatch green chiles and bacon crumbles take this easy chicken salad to the next level!

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken, chiles, green chiles, hatch chiles, salad

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 451 kcal

Author Katie Moseman

Ingredients

• 4 cups shredded chicken
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted green chiles Hatch chiles are best
• 1/4 cup crumbled bacon
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Combine the chicken, chiles, bacon, and mayonnaise in a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Serve immediately if desired, but if possible, refrigerate the chicken salad for one hour or more for the best flavor.

Nutrition Facts

Green Chile Chicken Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 451 Calories from Fat 288

% Daily Value*

Fat 32g49%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 15g

Monounsaturated Fat 8g

Cholesterol 127mg42%

Sodium 529mg23%

Potassium 336mg10%

Carbohydrates 1g0%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 38g76%

Vitamin A 87IU2%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 22mg2%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.