Sunshine in a Bowl: Your New Favorite Easy Mango Chicken Salad!
This Mango Chicken Salad captures the feeling of perfect summer days – vibrant, fresh, and utterly delightful. Incredibly easy to whip up, it’s your new go-to for a quick, memorable meal that brightens any day.
Equipment
- Large Salad Bowl
- Salad Tongs
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 6 cups romaine lettuce chopped
- 2 cups red cabbage shredded
- 1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 1 ripe mango peeled, pitted, and sliced
- 0.5 English cucumber sliced
- 2 green onions (scallions) sliced
- 0.25 cup fresh cilantro or mint chopped
- 0.25 cup unsalted, roasted peanuts crushed
For the Dressing
- 0.5 cup Asian sesame dressing
Instructions
- Step 1: Grab your largest salad bowl, ensuring ample space for tossing.
- Step 2: Add the chopped romaine lettuce, shredded red cabbage, and red bell pepper strips to the bowl, forming the base of the salad.
- Step 3: Gently add the cooked, shredded chicken, vibrant mango slices, and cool cucumber slices to the bowl.
- Step 4: Drizzle the Asian sesame dressing evenly over all the ingredients.
- Step 5: Sprinkle the sliced green onions and fresh chopped herbs (cilantro or mint) over the top.
- Step 6: Just before serving, sprinkle the crushed peanuts on top to maintain their crunch.
- Step 7: Using large salad tongs, gently toss everything until beautifully combined and coated. Serve immediately.
Notes
This flexible salad welcomes substitutions: try shrimp, tofu, or chickpeas for chicken, and add veggies like carrots or edamame. Pineapple, avocado, cashews, or even crispy wonton strips are great additions. For a kick, add red pepper flakes or sriracha. Other dressings like sweet chili vinaigrette can also be used.
For best results, use a ripe mango and ensure all ingredients are well-chilled. Always dress the salad immediately before serving to keep greens crisp. For meal prep, store wet ingredients, dry ingredients, and dressing separately; assemble just before eating. Frozen mango can be used if thawed and drained. Leftovers, once dressed, are best consumed within 1 day.