Thai Mango Chicken Salad (Print Version)

Bright flavors with mango, chicken, fresh herbs, and a zesty lime-chili dressing for a light meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 10.5 oz)
02 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Salad

05 - 2 large ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, and sliced
06 - 3.5 oz mixed salad greens (romaine, arugula, spinach)
07 - 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
08 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
09 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
10 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
11 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
12 - 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
13 - 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, roughly chopped (optional)

→ Lime-Chili Dressing

14 - 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
15 - 2 tablespoons fish sauce (or soy sauce for vegetarian)
16 - 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
17 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
18 - 1-2 teaspoons Thai red chili, finely chopped (to taste)
19 - 1 clove garlic, minced

# How to Make It:

01 - Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate, rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
02 - Whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, vegetable oil, chopped chili, and minced garlic in a small bowl until sugar dissolves and mixture is well blended.
03 - Combine salad greens, mango slices, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, carrot, cilantro, and mint in a large bowl.
04 - Add sliced chicken to the salad and gently toss with lime-chili dressing until evenly coated.
05 - Sprinkle roasted peanuts over the salad, if desired, and serve immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes, which means you can have something restaurant-quality on the table before hunger turns impatient.
  • The combination of sweet mango, fiery chili, and herbaceous mint creates a complexity that makes your taste buds wake up.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, so it doesn't leave you feeling heavy on a warm day.
02 -
  • Don't skip the five-minute rest after cooking chicken—it redistributes the juices so your slices stay tender instead of drying out as they cool.
  • If you make this ahead, keep the dressing separate and add it only when you're ready to eat, or everything turns into a soggy mess within an hour.
03 -
  • If mangoes are hard to find or expensive, peaches or nectarines work in a pinch and add a different kind of sweetness that's still delicious.
  • Make the dressing in a jar with a tight lid and shake it vigorously instead of whisking—it emulsifies better and keeps longer if you need to store it.
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