I don’t know about you, but I’m always chasing that sweet spot between something fresh, satisfying, and a little bit indulgent and this Chicken Salad with Spicy Mayo Dressing nails it. Tender shredded chicken, crunchy veggies, and herbs all tossed together with a creamy, kicky mayo-based sauce that hits just the right balance of tang and spicy warmth. It’s easy enough for a quick lunch, yet hearty enough to double as a satisfying dinner.
Olivia’s Personal Note
I’m such a big fan of adding chicken to my salads. You probably already know that if you’ve tried my Chopped Chicken Salad, Greek Chicken Salad, or Chimichurri Chicken Chopped Salad. I just love how filling and flavorful they are!
And listen… we all love a good chicken salad sandwich, right? But this chicken salad with spicy mayo dressing might just make you fall in love with chicken salad all over again. It’s honestly delicious even without the bread — because who needs bread when you’ve got a bowl packed with this much goodness?!
This easy chicken salad recipe is perfect for busy weekdays, relaxed weekends, potlucks, picnics… you name it. And the best part? You can totally use leftover chicken to make it even easier. Quick, tasty, and super satisfying. My favorite kind of recipe!
Key Ingredients:
All ingredients and their amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Lettuce — I’ve made this salad so many times with all kinds of greens, and they all work beautifully. Boston lettuce is soft and buttery, romaine gives that classic crunch, and spinach or arugula make it feel a little extra fresh. Just use whatever you love or already have in the fridge.
Cucumber, Cherry Tomatoes, Red Onions & Green Onions — This veggie combo is one I’ve tested over and over again, and it always makes the salad feel crisp, colorful, and super satisfying. Such a good mix.
Roasted Chicken Breast — I usually use boneless, skinless chicken breast—often leftovers from another recipe. I’ve made this salad with both freshly cooked and leftover chicken, and it turns out delicious either way.
Boiled Egg — I love adding a boiled egg because it makes the salad more filling and hearty. I’ve tried soft-boiled and hard-boiled, and both are great depending on what you’re in the mood for.
Homemade Mayo, Hot Sauce & Lime Juice — This is the dressing I’ve tested the most, and it’s always the winner. The hot sauce is my little secret. It gives just the right amount of heat without being too spicy. If you’re not into mayo, I’ve swapped it with Greek yogurt before and it still turns out creamy and delicious.
How to Make This Chicken Salad Recipe
1. Baking the Chicken: Here’s where the magic starts. We’ve got our chicken breasts all seasoned and cozy in the baking dish, ready for the oven. They look so simple now, but trust me… they’re about to turn into the juiciest chicken ever. Then on the right, boom! Fresh out of the oven — golden, tender, and sitting in all those tasty pan juices. Don’t skip those juices later… they add so much flavor.
2. Next up: eggs! While the chicken is in the oven, let’s boil the eggs the easy way — nothing fancy. They’re sitting in the pot doing their thing, and then look at that perfect peel on the right. Honestly, this is the dream… when the shell slides off in one piece. Feels like winning the lottery, right?
Tip: Use slightly older eggs. They peel so much easier.
3. Mixing the Spicy Mayo Dressing: It’s creamy and smooth, with just the right kick. This sauce is what makes the whole salad chef’s kiss. Just whisk everything together and try not to taste-test it a million times. I always do!
4. Building the Salad Bowl: We’ve got crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, creamy avocado, crunchy cucumbers, onions, that perfectly baked chicken sliced like a masterpiece, and the soft-boiled egg showing off in the middle. Then drizzle that spicy mayo all over the top and OMG… it looks like something you’d order at a restaurant. But better, because you made it.
Olivia’s Recipe Tips
Don’t skip the crunch — cucumber, red onion, and green onions give the salad that fresh, crisp bite.
Balance the dressing — the spicy mayo with lime juice keeps it creamy but bright, not heavy.
Make the dressing first so the flavors meld before tossing.
Chicken Salad with Spicy Mayo Dressing
Video
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 4 cups lettuce chopped
- 1 cup cucumber sliced
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes sliced
- ½ cup red onions sliced
- 1 medium baked chicken breast
- 1 boiled egg
For the dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise I used homemade mayo
- 2 tablespoon Sriracha hot sauce or any other hot sauce you prefer
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Put lettuce in a big bowl. Add cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and red onions. Place cooked chicken breast and boiled egg on top.
- In a small bowl, mix mayo, Sriracha, lemon juice, and salt/pepper. Then, taste to check the seasoning and pour over the salad. Enjoy!
Notes
- The nutrition information was calculated using only 1/4 cup of the spicy mayo sauce.
- Make sure to cut everything into bite-sized pieces so you can have a bit of everything in one bite.
- To store: Place leftover chicken salad recipe in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Be sure and store the dressing separately to avoid sogginess.
- To freeze: Chicken salad recipes aren’t good for freezing. You can, however, separate and freeze leftover chicken for up to 3 months!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?
Follow @primaverakitchen on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag it #primaverakitchen. We’d love to see your recreation.
Such dishes really are all-time hit in the Indian region as they are indigenous to spicy food. Good recipe!
YUM!! So happy to have subscribed to your blog. can not wait for more amazing recipes 🙂
Happy to hear that 😉
Hello
Your recipe. Ingredients list says lemon juice but Instructions say lime. Which juice is correct? TY!
Sorry it was a typo. It’s lemon juice. Thanks for pointing it out! I just fixed it on the recipe box to avoid further confusion.
This salad was really good, never thought of making a spicy mayonnaise, will definitely making this again and again, Netty
Happy to hear that!!!
Love this !! Next time I will set the timer when I boil the eggs, I ended up getting busy and burned the, not the first time 😂
hahahahah that’s a good idea.