Thai Mango Chicken Salad (Print Version)

Bright blend of mango, chicken, fresh greens, and herbs tossed in a tangy lime-chili dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 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 ounces mixed salad greens (e.g., 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 to 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 vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and let rest for 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 is dissolved and dressing is well combined.
03 - In a large bowl, mix salad greens, mango slices, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, carrot, cilantro, and mint.
04 - Add sliced chicken to the salad and gently toss all ingredients with the lime-chili dressing until evenly coated.
05 - Top with roasted peanuts, if desired, and serve immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It tastes like ordering takeout from your favorite Thai place, except you made it and it costs half the price.
  • Everything can be prepped ahead, so you're just assembling and tossing when you're ready to eat.
  • The dressing is so addictive you'll find yourself making extra to drizzle over everything for days.
02 -
  • Don't skip letting the chicken rest after cooking; those five minutes let the juices redistribute so every bite stays tender instead of dry.
  • Fish sauce seems counterintuitive in something this fresh, but it's the secret ingredient that makes your taste buds sing—trust it.
03 -
  • Make the dressing ahead and store it in a jar; the flavors meld overnight, making it even better the next day.
  • Cook your chicken early in the day and shred it, then assemble everything right before serving so the greens stay crisp and the herbs stay bright.
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