Mexican Chicken Salad Lettuce Cups
by Katie Webster
May 4, 2015 (updated 2/7/23) Jump To Recipe
These Mexican Chicken Salad Lettuce Cups with avocado, jalapeño, cumin and cilantro in tender Bibb lettuce leaves are the perfect fuss-free lunch or dinner. The chicken salad is also easy to make ahead, making it all the more better. It is also grain free and primal.
Table of contents
Why We Love This Recipe for Mexican Chicken Salad Wraps
I’ve always been a big fan of salads no matter the season. They’re versatile, easy to throw together, and you can fill them up with lots of healthy fats and protein.
A salad also doesn’t always have to be a big bowl of leafy greens. It can be a fruit salad, pasta salad, tuna salad, and in this case, a chicken salad.
In addition to today’s Mexican Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps recipe, I am a big fan of mixing up traditional chicken salads and creating new twists. A few of my other favorites are Waldorf Chicken Salad, Sesame Chicken Wonton Cups, Chicken Salad Bites, Sesame Chicken Lettuce Wraps and my Chimichurri Chicken Salad. All equally as tasty and easy.
What makes this a healthier version of chicken salad is that I used mostly low-fat Greek yogurt instead of lots of mayonnaise (although there is still a touch in there). Greek yogurt adds even more protein to the dish without too many added fats and calories.
I absolutely love this recipe because it’s packed with flavor. It has lime juice, fresh herbs, Mexican spices, jalapeños, and so much more. Once I made it and packed it into little lettuce leaves I realized I just had to share the recipe with you. They’re the perfect lunch or light dinner and they are naturally low carb and keto.
Key Ingredients For This Recipe
Chicken breast
You’ll want to use boneless skinless chicken breast for this recipe. Chicken breast is the leanest part of the chicken, meaning it has the least amount of fat and calories. I like to cook this chicken in a saucepan with water for the healthiest option, but you can absolutely throw it in the oven or on the stove instead if you want.
Greek yogurt
I chose to use low-fat Greek yogurt because even though it has less fat, it still makes the chicken salad nice and creamy. You can use reduced fat Greek yogurt instead if you’d like, and feel free to use any brand.
Lettuce
Boston or bib lettuce is the best choice when you’re making filled lettuce cups. They’re shaped more bowl-like than other types of lettuce. If you can’t find it, you can use romaine instead. Just know the lettuce cups will be more boat-shaped than cup-shaped.
Cumin
Cumin adds delicious Mexican flavor to the dressing in this chicken salad. Cumin adds a rich and earthy flavor to food, and is commonly used in Latin cooking (and many other cuisines). Be sure to use ground cumin and not whole cumin seeds when making this.
Avocado
The creamy addition of avocado adds healthy fats and a delicious creamy texture. Just before adding it to the salad, cut it in half, remove the pit and cut it into cubes.
Additional Ingredients
- salt for poaching plus 1 teaspoon
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh jalapeno (or to taste)
- 1 bell pepper (any color), diced
- ¼ cup minced red onion
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- Toasted pepitas for garnish (optional)
Step by Step Instructions To Make This Mexican chicken salad
Step 1: Poach chicken
Place the chicken in a medium skillet. Cover with cold water and set over high heat. Bring the water to a simmer, add a generous pinch salt, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the chicken is cooked through, and no longer pink in the center, 13 to 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid and let cool on a cutting board. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, cut it into bite-sized cubes.
Step 2: Make chicken salad & serve
Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, jalapeno and cumin in a large bowl. Gently stir the chicken, avocado, pepper, red onion and cilantro into the dressing until combined. Place two lettuce leaves on each plate. Fill the lettuce leaves with chicken salad, dividing evenly.
FAQs and Expert Tips
You should store leftover chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll last for about 3 to 5 days if stored properly.
Yes. Chicken salad is the perfect thing to make ahead of time since it tastes even better once it’s been chilled for a few hours. Letting the chicken salad sit in the fridge before serving also helps meld all the flavors together. If planning to make this ahead, omit the avocado and add it just before serving.
You technically can, but I always recommend making chicken salad fresh. You can freeze chicken salad two ways. You can freeze it once all the ingredients have been mixed together, in which case it’ll last for 3 months if stored in an airtight container. OR, you can freeze the main ingredients separately (mainly chicken and any produce) for up to 6 months. If planning to freeze this salad, omit the avocado and add it just before serving.
If you’re planning on bringing this dish to serve at a cookout or party, bring the lettuce leaves and chicken salad separately so that the lettuce doesn’t get soggy. You can set the lettuce cups out on a platter and scoop in the chicken salad right before serving.
Additional Healthy Lunch Ideas
- This high-protein Mediterranean Tuna Salad is bulked up with lots of fresh veggies to make a satisfying no-mayo tuna salad.
- This Spinach, Beet and Chicken Power Salad is a great meal prep lunch to make for busy work days.
- This high-protein Vegan Chickpea Salad is dreamy and creamy from the luscious avocado lemon and basil dressing.
- This Wasabi Glazed Salmon Power Salad is another meal prep recipe to add to your menu.
- I love this Simple Cucumber Salad with chives! It’s ready in 10 minutes and goes great as a side dish for barbecues and cookouts.
- What’s not to adore about this easy-as-can-be 15 Minute Greek Cucumber Salad with feta, olives and cherry tomatoes? It’s the absolute best!
- Our Vegan “Tuna” Chickpea Salad can be tucked into Sandwiches or lettuce wraps to keep them grain free.
Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!
Happy Cooking! ~Katie
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Mexican Chicken Salad Lettuce Cups
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Mexican Chicken Salad with Avocado, jalapeno, cumin and cilantro in tender Bibb lettuce leaves. It is grain free, high protein and primal.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- salt for poaching plus 1 teaspoon
- 1/4 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh jalapeno (or to taste)
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into cubes
- 1 bell pepper (any color), diced
- 1/4 cup minced red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 8 leaves Boston or Bibb lettuce
- Toasted pepitas for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Place chicken in a medium skillet. Cover with cold water and set over high heat. Bring to a simmer, add a generous pinch salt, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the chicken is cooked through, and no longer pink in the center, 13 to 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid and let cool on a cutting board. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, cut into bite-sized cubes.
- Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, jalapeno and cumin in a large bowl.
- Gently stir the chicken, avocado, pepper, red onion and cilantro into the dressing to combine. Place two lettuce leaves on each plate. Fill the lettuce leaves with chicken salad, dividing evenly.
Notes
Make Ahead:
Chicken salad is the perfect thing to make ahead of time since it tastes even better once it’s been chilled for a few hours. Letting the chicken salad sit in the fridge before serving also helps meld all the flavors together. If planning to make this ahead, omit the avocado and add it just before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 lettuce cups, with 1/2 cup chicken salad each
- Calories: 233
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 829 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 25 g
Katie Webster
Katie Webster studied art and photography at Skidmore College and is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute. She has been a professional recipe developer since 2001 when she first started working in the test kitchen at EatingWell magazine. Her recipes have been featured in numerous magazines including Shape, Fitness, Parents and several Edible Communities publications among others. Her cookbook, Maple {Quirk Books} was published in 2015. She launched Healthy Seasonal Recipes in 2009. She lives in Vermont with her husband, two teenage daughters and two yellow labs. In her free time, you can find her at the gym, cooking, stacking firewood, making maple syrup, and tending to her overgrown perennial garden.
ThIs salad sounds delicious and great for lunches. The only problem for me is I hate Cilantro. Is there anything else I could use in place of it? I tried your simple green beans last night and they were very good.
Thanks,
Tracy
You can simply leave it out if you don’t like it. It should work just fine without. Thanks for letting me know you liked the green beans. Yippee!
Hi Katie, I love the idea of putting chicken and lettuce in one salad. Lettuce can be use also as rolls with the chicken salad inside and it will be a perfect appetizer.
Mmmmmmm these look amazing! Love the addition of pepitas to the mix!
Thank you so much Chris. Have a fantastic day!
This sounds like such a refreshing salad. I love a Mexican spin on pretty much all recipes, so this is right up my alley!
We love Mexican recipes around here too Sam. Have a great day.
LOVE the addition of pepitas! So authentic and different than almonds or sunflower seeds that I usually put in my chicken salad.
They are great because they add some crunchy texture. Thanks so much Emily. Have a great day.
Mmm…love chicken salad and can’t wait to try this recipe. Thank you! Consider it pinned!
Thank you so much Holley! Have a great day.
WOA -what a flavor and texture explosion! Loving the creaminess of the yogurt matched up with the crunch of the pepitas and the smoky cumin against the avocado – YAY for Salad month – I had no clue till I read your post!
Exactly! The texture contrast is really great.
I love that you lightened up and spiced up plain old chicken salad- definitely pinning this recipe to make. This would be a great thing to bring to a picnic 🙂
That’s a great idea Lauren. I loved having it for lunch.
Yes to salad month! I am a big salad lover. All day, every day! This looks perfect for Cinco de Mayo. And I never use mayonnaise anymore. I’ve always disliked it – even as a kid. So Greek yogurt for me in pretty much all my recipes.
Glad you’re into the idea of salad month Liz. 🙂 It seems to fall right at the perfect time of year too, when so many greens are in season, and we are all looking for lighter meals.
I love this recipe because I usually have all of the ingredients on hand— minus the Bibb lettuce. Picking some up at the grocery store this morning!
Hope you enjoy it Katie. Have a great day!