This post first appeared over at Eazy Peazy Mealz where I’m a contributor.

Tex Mex Chicken Salad is a fiesta for your taste buds! Kick your chicken salad up a notch with this tasty south-of-the-border version!

Tex Mex Chicken Salad

I love easy meals in the summer. In the colder months, I enjoy baking and taking my time to prepare a meal. But when the sun is shining and the beach is calling, I rely on quick meals for us to eat like chilled Spaghetti Salad with Italian Dressing.

This creamy Tex Mex chicken salad fits the bill perfectly. It’s so simple yet bursting with flavors. Best of all, it packs up well in a cooler so I can bring it to the beach for lunch on the go! I also like to pack a container of Dill Dip and lots of raw veggies for dipping.

Classic chicken salad gets a sassy makeover with traditional Mexican flavors – cumin (which smells just like tacos!) cilantro for that fresh zest, and jalapeno for a little heat. The wonderful thing about salads is that they’re customizable to you and your family’s taste.

Think of this salad as the canvas for your imagination. If you’re sensitive to spice, feel free to eliminate the jalapeno. On the other hand, if you can’t get enough spicy food, try substituting a serrano chile for some serious zing!

This Tex Mex chicken salad would be amazing with the addition of black beans, red bell pepper or corn, not to mention it’s a great way to stretch your protein and sneak in more fiber and veggies. The sky is the limit!

I rely on my mother’s easy method to whipping up chicken salad in a jiffy: place the cooked chicken in a blender or food processor and pulse until desired consistency is reached. Some people like a chunky chicken salad, but I prefer my meat finely chopped.

You can serve this salad on a bed of greens, as a sandwich or with crackers. My absolute favorite way to eat it though is with chips.

Seriously one of the best lunches I’ve eaten in a long time! I ate the leftovers throughout the week and the flavors only got better with time. Don’t you love when that happens?