Smoked Paprika Chicken Salad
Hold onto your chicken salad loving buns because we're about to put a new spin on the lunchtime classic with smoked paprika, lime juice, cumin, and even a little chili powder. Easy to meal prep and easier to eat, you're going to love this recipe!
Servings: 3 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (or 1½ cups of cooked and shredded chicken)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt , divided
- ¼ cup, plus 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ancho chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- Crackers, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Lay the chicken breasts on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with ½ of a teaspoon of salt, and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until fully cooked through.
- Let the chicken cool to handling temperature, and then, using two forks, the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, or an electric hand mixer, shred the chicken.
- Transfer the shredded chicken to a large bowl and add the mayo, dijon, lime juice, garlic powder, smoked paprika, ancho chili powder, ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon of sea salt, and chopped cilantro. Mixed until well combined.
- Serve right away or store for later!
Notes
- Use leftover chicken - if you have pre-cooked/shredded chicken, use that instead of cooking it from scratch.
- Make enough for the whole week - this recipe is IDEAL for meal prep! Make double so that you've got an easy grab-and-go lunch option for the week.
- Use a food processor - if you prefer a finely shredded chicken salad, throw all of the ingredients (after the chicken is cooked and shredded, of course) into a food processor and pulse until it reaches your desired consistency.
Nutrition
Calories: 358kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 944mg | Potassium: 613mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 422IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg