Salpicão is a chilled Brazilian chicken salad with vegetables and apple. Crispy potato sticks provide the crunch, but should be added only when serving. This recipe starts with chicken that has already been cooked, cooled and shredded; cooking the chicken is not included in the assembly time.
About 6 side-dish portions; 20 minutes to assemble plus approximately 30 minutes in the fridge.
Ingredients
- 500 g cooked, cooled, shredded chicken
- 1 medium carrot, about 100 g, washed, peeled and grated
- 1 large apple, about 180 g after coring, diced
- 80 g cooked or tinned sweetcorn, drained
- 80 g cooked or tinned peas, drained
- 200 g shop-bought mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (15 ml)
- 150 g ready-to-eat crispy shoestring potato sticks
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley, optional
- 50 g raisins, optional
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Method
- Check that the chicken is cooked and cold. If preparing it now, cook it thoroughly, shred with clean utensils and cool promptly in a shallow container, refrigerating within 2 hours. Do not mix hot chicken with mayonnaise.
- Drain the sweetcorn and peas thoroughly. If using frozen peas, cook them according to the packet and cool before using. Toss the diced apple with the lemon juice.
- Combine the chicken, carrot, apple and lemon juice, sweetcorn, peas and raisins, if using, in a bowl. Add the mayonnaise and gently fold until the ingredients are coated.
- Taste, adjust the salt and pepper and add the parsley, if using. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
- Just before serving, scatter the potato sticks over the top or offer them separately. Do not use raw potato: this recipe calls for fried, crisp, ready-to-eat sticks.
How to prevent a watery salad
Drain tinned ingredients and do not add their packing liquid. Warm chicken and very wet fruit affect the texture. If liquid has already collected, spoon off the excess before serving; stirring for several minutes will not repair split mayonnaise.
Variations
For a tangier dressing, replace 50 g of the 200 g mayonnaise with 50 g plain unsweetened yoghurt. The dressing will be thinner; keep it refrigerated. Raisins and parsley are optional and can be omitted without changing the method. If avoiding eggs, choose egg-free mayonnaise and check every label.
Storage
Keep covered in the fridge at 0–5°C and eat within 48 hours. Cool cooked food promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours, using shallow containers where needed. Mixing leftovers with new ingredients does not restart their storage time. Also follow any shorter use-by instructions on the packaging.
Storage guidance: Food Standards Agency.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use leftover chicken?
Yes, if they were cooked, cooled and stored correctly. Count the storage time from when the chicken was originally cooked, not from when the salad was assembled.
Should the potato sticks be chilled with the salad?
There is no need: store the packet according to its instructions and add the sticks only when serving to keep them crisp.
