Thai Mango Chicken Salad (Printable)

A refreshing mix of mango, chicken, fresh herbs, and veggies in a zesty lime-chili dressing for a light, flavorful meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 10.5 ounces)
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 (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 option)
16 - 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
17 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
18 - 1 to 2 teaspoons finely chopped Thai red chili (to taste)
19 - 1 clove garlic, minced

# Directions:

01 - Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and let rest for 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 combined.
03 - Combine mixed salad greens, mango slices, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, carrot, cilantro, and mint in a large bowl.
04 - Add sliced chicken to the salad bowl and gently toss with the lime-chili dressing until evenly coated.
05 - Sprinkle roasted peanuts over the salad if desired and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in half an hour, making it perfect for weeknights when you want something restaurant-quality without the fuss.
  • The interplay between sweet mango, spicy chili, and herbaceous mint creates a complexity that feels indulgent but tastes completely natural.
  • One salad feeds four people generously, or gives you satisfying leftovers if you're cooking for just yourself.
02 -
  • Overcooked chicken will make this entire salad taste dry and sad no matter how good your dressing is, so use a meat thermometer if you're uncertain—165°F is your target.
  • The dressing needs fish sauce to taste authentically Thai, but it needs time to mellow; make it at least five minutes before serving so the raw garlic sharpness softens.
03 -
  • Chill your salad bowls in the freezer for ten minutes before serving—cold plates keep everything fresher longer and make the salad taste more refined.
  • Slice the chicken against the grain so each bite is tender instead of stringy, and slice it while it's still warm so it takes on dressing flavor more readily.
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