This chipotle-peach chicken salad is the first thing I’ve made in the kitchen in two weeks, and I’m not even sure it counts, given how many shortcuts I took. I used rotisserie chicken that I had shredded and frozen weeks ago. Too lazy overheated to turn on the oven, I bought pecans that had already been roasted. And I finally decided to try making my beloved chipotle-peach vinaigrette with peaches from a jar. The result? One damn tasty chicken salad.
The 90-degree temperatures we’ve been having in Michigan can only account for my absence from the kitchen for the past day or two. The rest of those two weeks has been a recovery period after what I can only describe as an accident based in carelessness and frugality-induced pigheadedness. You know how they say you should throw out chipped or cracked dishes, because they can be dangerous? Well, I decided that didn’t apply in the case of frugal graduate students, so I persisted in using a plate that I knew had a hairline crack (it’s just in the glaze, I told myself!). But the other week, I was bringing the plate to the sink after lunch and I carelessly misjudged the height of the counter, so when the plate knocked into the counter, it cracked. A large shard went into my palm and between two fingers, so…it seemed like a pretty good time to check out Trader Joe’s frozen entrees and to minimize the number of dishes to wash for a little while!
Why am I telling you this? Well, for one thing, to remind anyone out there who may be as frugal and/or pigheaded as I was that you really should throw out your chipped or cracked dishes. And for another, to prove just how easy this chipotle-peach chicken salad is to make: if I can do it in fifteen minutes with one hand, just think how quickly you can do it with two!
The fruity, smoky chipotle-peach vinaigrette puts a delicious new spin on chicken salad that will have you making this on repeat all summer. Load it on crackers or spread it in a sandwich or wrap—just be sure to serve it on a good, solid plate.
- 1/2 medium peach, pitted (no need to peel the peach)
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups cooked and shredded/diced chicken
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 medium peach, pitted and diced (no need to peel the peach)
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 2-3 tablespoons green onions (optional)
- salt and pepper
- Make the vinaigrette: place the peach, chipotle peppers, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Combine all of the ingredients for the chicken salad in a large bowl. Stir in the vinaigrette and add salt and pepper to taste.
- This makes enough chicken salad for 4 sandwiches.
- Vinaigrette recipe adapted from Detoxinista.
Nothing wrong with using a rotisserie chicken! The combination of peach and chipotle sounds absolutely wonderful. HOpe your hand heals well.
I didn’t really get into buying rotisserie chickens until the last year, but now I’m hooked! It saves so much time to keep shredded chicken in the freezer. Thanks for stopping by!
Definitely! I just wish they wouldn’t overcook them, but they are handy!
Yikes! That sounds painful. I hope your hand heals quickly. I’m definitely guilty for running a dish into the counter and for continuing to use a cracked/chipped dish, just not simultaneously. The chipotle, peach, and chicken combination sounds divine and your point is well taken!
Yeah, I learned the error of my ways the hard way 🙁 Luckily, my hand is healing pretty well. Thanks, Patty!
Ouch! I too have been guilty of using glaze-cracked plates, but am now rethinking my practices. Putting aside bad habits, I’m impressed you’ve managed to make a delicious looking meal while injured. Hope your hand is speedily healing 🙂
Nooo…gotta throw those out! I hope you get a chance to try the chicken salad – you’ll love it!
Ouch! That sounds like quite the injury there, Mara. I hope your hand is healing! But the silver lining is that it led to this incredible chicken salad, right? I mean this sounds like my kind of sandwich! I love the flavors you’ve got going in there, and I love the idea of using a vinaigrette to flavor chicken salad. Hang in there, my friend! (Also, it’s going to get cool again one day…I promise!)
Thanks, David! My hand is doing well, although I’m working through some mobility issues now, after not using it for two weeks. And seriously…we need cooler weather ASAP!
This looks delicious, even despite the shortcuts! Good luck with the healing…it sounds like you’re as pigheaded as me…I may or may not have a few cracked and chipped dishes hanging around!
Thanks, Colleen! It’s tough to get rid of them, isn’t it? Hopefully you’re not as clumsy as I am!
Shortcuts are needed once in a while, especially if the weather is hot and it is a pain to turn on the oven. This looks amazing, Mara! Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday party this week! Have fun!
Definitely necessary! Thanks for hosting this week – I hope you’re having a great weekend!
Thanks, Mara! You, too!
This totally counts, and it looks delicious!
I’m glad this caught your eye – thanks so much 🙂
I love chipotle flavors. This salad looks amazing!
Me too – although I can’t handle *too* much heat! I just love the smoky flavor they add.
I have not come across the combination of peach, chipotle and chicken before but I bet they go really well together. I love roast chicken and mango chutney sandwiches so I guess this is similar- will have to give it a try!
Ooh, chicken and mango chutney sound delicious! I bet you will like this as well then. If you try it, please let me know what you think 🙂
Love the idea of using this type of vinaigrette with a chicken salad sandwich! Thank you for sharing with FF:)
Thanks, Monika! And thank you for hosting this week. I hope you’re having a great weekend 🙂
This sounds like the perfect meal for our heatwave! No cooking required! Your vinaigrette sounds wonderful too. I hope your hand feels better soon!
Thanks, Jenny! And I hope this heat dissipates a bit soon – it’s been a very toasty week!
Wonderful idea! I just happen to have leftover chicken and a jar of chipotle chilies in the fridge. I hope your hand recovers quickly and thank you for the heads up. I have at least one dish with a hairline crack in the cupboard.
Thanks, Liz! My hand is doing well. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do 🙂
Hi! I’m one of the co-hosts from the Welcome Home Wednesday Link Up. My hubby & I are huge chicken salad people. We almost always have some made but I love to change it up sometimes. This sounds so good. I’ll be making it soon! Thank you for sharing.
Hi Leslie! Thanks so much for stopping by! Please let me know what you think if you try this 🙂
Shortcuts are needed in the summer. Too much to do and no time for long cooking. Love the summer flavors in this chicken salad!
Shortcuts are absolutely necessary…especially when I’m entering into (what I hope will be) my last year of grad school. I’m sure you know how time-consuming writing a dissertation is! I can’t even imagine being a mom on top of that. Are you sure you’re not a superhuman…?