Thai Mango Chicken Salad (Print Version)

A vibrant blend of mango, chicken, crisp vegetables, and fresh herbs 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 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. Cook chicken 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate, let rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, vegetable oil, chopped chili, and minced garlic until sugar dissolves and dressing is well blended.
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 bowl and gently toss all ingredients with the dressing until evenly coated.
05 - Sprinkle roasted peanuts on top if using. Serve immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes flat, which means you're eating within the hour without spending your entire afternoon cooking.
  • The contrast between cool, sweet mango and the sharp heat of the dressing is addictive—you'll find yourself coming back for another bite.
  • It's naturally light but substantial enough to be a proper meal, not just a side dish pretending to be dinner.
02 -
  • Don't skip resting the chicken after cooking—those five minutes let the juices redistribute so your slices stay tender instead of drying out when you cut them.
  • If your mango isn't quite ripe, the whole salad falls flat; buy them a day or two early if you need to, and let them sit on the counter.
  • The dressing should taste bold and a little intense on its own because the salad components will mellow it out once everything is mixed together.
03 -
  • Buy your mangoes a day or two before you plan to cook if they're not quite ripe—they'll be perfect by salad time.
  • If you're nervous about fish sauce, remember it mellows completely once it's mixed with the lime and other ingredients; nobody will taste 'fish' in the final dish.
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