Thai Mango Chicken Salad (Print Version)

Juicy mango and tender chicken combine with crisp veggies and tangy lime-chili dressing in this Thai dish.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 Steps:

01 - Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove from heat, rest 5 minutes, then thinly slice.
02 - Whisk lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, vegetable oil, chopped chili, and minced garlic in a small bowl until sugar dissolves and dressing is homogenous.
03 - In a large bowl, toss mixed greens, mango slices, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, carrot, cilantro, and mint leaves together.
04 - Add sliced chicken to salad bowl and gently toss with the lime-chili dressing until evenly coated.
05 - Top salad with roasted peanuts if desired and serve immediately for optimal freshness.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in 30 minutes but tastes like you fussed over it all day.
  • The contrast between cool mango and warm spiced chicken keeps you coming back for another bite.
  • Works perfectly as a light lunch, elegant dinner, or even next-day leftover that somehow tastes better.
02 -
  • Slice your chicken while it's still warm—it will be infinitely more tender than if you wait until it cools completely.
  • The dressing needs fish sauce to taste authentic; skip it and the whole salad loses its soul, but use soy sauce without apology if that's your preference.
03 -
  • Slice your vegetables on a mandoline if you have one—uniform thin slices cook and soften evenly in the dressing, and the salad looks more refined.
  • Keep the dressing separate until the last moment if you're not eating immediately; toss everything together right before serving so the greens stay crisp and bright.
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