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Brazilian Chicken Salad ~ Salpicão de Frango

February 13, 2023 by Carrie Tyler 2 Comments

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Calling all Mayo-lovers! This Brazilian Chicken Salad is an easy make-ahead, delicious lunch or dinner that filled with so much goodness! From the chicken and veggies, to the crispy potatoes on top, this is a must-make!

Brazilian Chicken Salad in a bowl with crispy potato sticks on top.

I never expected to find my people when I moved to Brazil. Yes, I talking mayo-lovers. I knew Brazilians loved steak, rice, beans and of course pão de queijo, but it was an unexpected delight to find that mayonnaise was embraced as dearly as it has been in my life ;). Which leads to me to this Brazilian Chicken Salad, or Salpicão de Frango, as it's called in Portuguese.

This recipe of course starts with chicken, but then copious amounts of delicious veggies and herbs are added. Then the dressing brings so much creaminess to the mix and brings everything together. Every bite is filled with so much goodness!

Oh and then there are the crispy potato sticks on top, which are the perfect crunchy, salty finish. These are sold everywhere in Brazil and used on many dishes, such as the Brazilian Chicken Stroganoff Recipe. I have a link on where to get them in the US, but you can also use crushed potato chips.

Brazilian Chicken Salad in a bowl on counter with towel next to it.
Jump to:
  • More on Chicken Salad in Brazil!
  • Simple Ingredients and Substitutes
  • How to Make this Brazilian Chicken Salad
  • Variations on Brazilian Chicken Salad
  • Brazilian Chicken Salad FAQs
  • Having a Buffet Lunch? Here are more ideas!
  • Brazilian Chicken Salad ~ Salpicão de Frango

More on Chicken Salad in Brazil!

Salpicão de Frango is what this Brazilian Chicken Salad is known as here in Brazil. It's found on family lunch tables, at salad buffets at Rodizios or Churrascarias, and at popular lunchtime restaurants serving Comida por quilo (food by the kilo) cafeteria-style. I've eaten it so often here and started making it using leftover chicken. The key difference from chicken salads in the US is the amount of other ingredients, primarily veggies, that are added to it. There really is so much variety, however, you can add whatever you like best.

Simple Ingredients and Substitutes

Ingredients prepped and measured out in bowls for Brazilian Chicken Salad.

Quick note!  This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase from them.  This commission is what helps me keep this blog afloat :).  I also share these links because I have used the products, genuinely love them, and want you to know exactly what I used. 

First, let me say that this is a salad and therefore, you can add any ingredients you love! I have provided some substitutes here, but I also have some suggestions right before the recipe for different salad variations.

Chicken and Veggie Ingredients

  • Chicken Breasts, boneless skinless - I used Skinless, boneless chicken breasts, but chicken thighs will work too. You can also use leftover chicken, leftover turkey, or rotisserie chicken for this!
  • Fresh Carrot - I peeled and grated whole carrots for this recipe. You can substitute with baby carrots diced or pre-diced carrots.
  • Yellow onion – I used yellow onion, but you can use white onion, red onion, shallots, or even scallions.
  • Green Peas - I used frozen and simply thawed them under cold water in a strainer. You can use fresh peas, but make sure to boil or steam them and then cool them before adding them. I would not use canned. You can substitute with celery, green pepper, cucumber, broccoli, or any other vegetable that you love.
  • Fresh Cilantro leaves - In my personal opinion, there is no substitute for the vibrant flavor of fresh cilantro. However, if you do not have it or like it, you can use parsley for the color or simply leave it out.
  • Optional: Potato sticks, or batata palha I found Batata Palha through Amazon. You can also sprinkle crushed potato chips on top.

Dressing Ingredients

  • Mayonnaise - You can use light or full fat mayonnaise. You can also substitute with plain greek yogurt, sour cream, or a combination of very soft cream cheese blended with a bit of milk or cream to thin it out.
  • Honey – Honey brings natural sweetness. You can substitute the same quantity of white granulated sugar or even brown sugar. Just be sure to mix it into the dressing an 30 minutes to an hour ahead to give it time to dissolve. There are other sweeteners, such as pineapple juice or orange juice that will work too.
  • White Wine Vinegar - Apple Cider vinegar is good too.
  • Salt and Ground Black Pepper

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make this Brazilian Chicken Salad

The first step is to shred the chicken. If your chicken is not yet cooked, you can cook it either using a boiling method or roasting.

  • Boil - Cut the chicken breasts into 3-4 pieces that will cook faster. Bring salted water up to a boil and then add the raw chicken. Cook for 5-8 minutes until cooked through and no longer pink in the center. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool.
  • Roast - Preheat the oven to 400 F degrees. Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place the chicken on a sheet pan and roast in the oven for 20 minutes until cooked through and no longer pink in the center. Let the chicken cool.

Next you can shred the carrots, dice the onion, chop the cilantro, and thaw the frozen peas.

To make the dressing ahead, in a small mixing bowl add the mayonnaise, honey, vinegar, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Whisk together. set aside or store in fridge until ready to mix into the salad.

When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it using your fingers or forks.

Mayonnaise, honey, vinegar, salt, ground pepper, and cilantro in bowl for Brazilian Chicken Salad.

Mix the Chicken Salad

To a large mixing bowl, add the shredded chicken, carrots, and onions, and the dressing. (NOTE: If you are making this ahead, reserve ¼ of the dressing to mix in when you are ready to serve to add some creaminess.)

Bowl with mayonnaise dressing, shredded chicken, carrots, and onion before being mixed for Brazilian Chicken Salad.

Mix gently folding the dressing in to coat and combine all ingredients.

Peas added on top of Brazilian Chicken Salad in a bowl.

Finally, fold in the peas.

That’s it! If you make this salad ahead and it's a bit dry when you are ready to serve, simply add the reserved dressing and mix to add back some creaminess.

Optional: Right before serving, top with the potato sticks or crushed potato chips.

Fork holding up a bite of Brazilian Chicken Salad over the bowl with crispy potato sticks on top.

Variations on Brazilian Chicken Salad

Here are some tasty variations adding additional ingredients.

  • Spicy - add chili pepper flakes, jalapeno peppers, cayenne pepper, or even Sriracha sauce to the mayonnaise dressing.
  • Add some Ham or Bacon - add diced ham, crispy bacon, crispy pancetta.
  • Hard Boiled Eggs - eggs turn this into a combination chicken salad and egg salad, which is always a good thing in my opinion!
  • Pasta or Rice Chicken Salad - You can make this salad even heartier and more of a complete meal by adding in cooked pasta or rice. You will need about 10 ounces of dry pasta for this recipe. Cook the pasta and cool it under cold water. Then mix it into the salad. For rice, you need 1 cup uncooked rice that has been cooked and cooled. For both options, I would double the mayonnaise recipe to have enough creaminess!

Brazilian Chicken Salad FAQs

How long can I store this Brazilian Chicken Salad?

This chicken salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last for up to 5 days if the chicken is freshly cooked for this recipe. Note, the 5 days count must start from the day that the chicken is first cooked. So, if you cooked the chicken 2 days ago, then made the salad today, it will last for 3 more days in the fridge.

Can I replace the mayonnaise with anything else?

You can replace the mayonnaise in this Brazilian Chicken Salad with plain greek yogurt, sour cream, or a combination of very soft cream cheese blended with a bit of milk or cream to thin it out.

Having a Buffet Lunch? Here are more ideas!

These are all great make-ahead dishes for your Brazilian Buffet:

  • Spatula scooping Baked Rice with Cheese and Tomatoes up from casserole dish.
    Brazilian Baked Rice with Cheese and Tomatoes
  • Brazilian sauteed Kale with Bacon and Garlic in a bowl on counter with white and blue towel. It's known as Couve Mineira in Portuguese, and is an easy and delicious side for any dinner!
    Sauteed Kale with Bacon and Garlic {Couve a Mineira}
  • Pork Ribeye Roast Sliced on a platter with Orange Sauce poured over top and onions and orange slices around it.
    Pork Ribeye Roast with Garlic Ginger Orange Sauce
  • Brazilian Farofa Recipe in a pot on blue and white towel on counter. It has bacon, sausage, green olives, hard boiled eggs, carrots, onions, and garlic and is a delicious traditional recipe for Christmas ~ Farofa de Natal.
    Brazilian Farofa Recipe for Holidays ~ Farofa de Natal
Brazilian Chicken Salad in a bowl with crispy potato sticks on top.

Brazilian Chicken Salad ~ Salpicão de Frango

Carrie Tyler
This Brazilian Chicken Salad, or Salpicão de Frango, as it's called in Portuguese, is an easy make-ahead, delicious lunch or dinner. This recipe of course starts with chicken, but then lots of delicious veggies and herbs are added. Then the dressing brings so much creaminess to the mix and brings everything together. Then there are the crispy potato sticks on top are the perfect crunchy, salty finish. Every bite is filled with so much goodness!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Course Main Course, Salad
Cuisine American, Brazilian
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound Chicken Breasts cooked and shredded
  • 1 cup Carrots shredded or finely diced
  • ½ cup Green Peas frozen
  • ¼ cup Fresh Cilantro Leaves
  • ¼ cup Onion finely diced
  • ¾ cup Mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons Honey
  • 1 Tablespoon White Wine Vinegar Apple Cider vinegar is good too
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

Optional

  • ½ cup Potato sticks, or batata palha I found Batata Palha through Amazon. You can also sprinkle crushed potato chips on top.

Instructions
 

Prep-Ahead

  • Cook the chicken. (Boil or Roast)
    Boil - Cut the chicken breasts into 3-4 pieces that will cook faster. Bring salted water up to a boil and then add the raw chicken. Cook for 5-8 minutes until cooked through and no longer pink in the center. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool.
    Roast - Preheat the oven to 400 F degrees. Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place the chicken on a sheet pan and roast in the oven for 20 minutes until cooked through and no longer pink in the center. Let the chicken cool.
  • While the chicken cooks, you can shred or dice the carrots, thaw the peas, finely dice the onions, and rough chop the cilantro.
  • To make the dressing ahead, in a small mixing bowl add the mayonnaise, honey, vinegar, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Whisk together. set aside or store in fridge until ready to mix into the salad.
  • When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it using your fingers or forks.

Make the Chicken Salad (this can also be done ahead!)

  • To a large mixing bowl, add the shredded chicken, carrots, onions, and the dressing. (NOTE: If you are making this ahead, reserve ¼ of the dressing to mix in when you are ready to serve to add some creaminess.) Mix gently folding the dressing in to coat and combine all ingredients. Last, fold in the green peas.
  • If the salad is a bit dry when you are ready to serve, simply add the reserved dressing and mix to add back some creaminess.
    Optional: Right before serving, top with the potato sticks or crushed potato chips.

Notes

  • How long can I store this Brazilian Chicken Salad?
    This chicken salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last for up to 5 days if the chicken is freshly cooked for this recipe. Note, the 5 days count must start from the day that the chicken is first cooked. So, if you cooked the chicken 2 days ago, then made the salad today, it will last for 3 more days in the fridge.
  • Can I replace the mayonnaise with anything else?
    You can replace the mayonnaise in this Brazilian Chicken Salad with plain greek yogurt, sour cream, or a combination of very soft cream cheese blended with a bit of milk or cream to thin it out.
Keyword brazilian dinner, chicken dinner, chicken recipes
« Creamy Carrot Sauce ~ Molho de Cenoura
Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken with Mushrooms »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Melanie

    August 31, 2023 at 11:14 pm

    5 stars
    This is delicious. My entire family enjoyed it and have been asking me to make it more often. It’s on my meal prep list for tomorrow 🙂

    Reply
    • Carrie Tyler

      September 01, 2023 at 11:40 am

      Thanks, Melanie! yes, it's such a great meal prep option 🙂

      Reply

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Hi there! I'm Carrie and a recent transplant with my family to São Paulo, Brazil from Hoboken, NJ! I am a recipe developer and author sharing my journey through Brazilian food recipes made super easy and delicious! Read more about me →

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