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14 Comments There are some flavor combinations that just never disappoint, and this chicken with mango salad is definitely one of them. The juicy sweetness of ripe mango pairs perfectly with tender chicken, making this chicken mango salad fresh, colorful and packed with flavor. It’s one of those easy recipes that feels a little bit special while taking hardly any time to make.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This is one of my favorite salads when I want something quick but satisfying. It’s ready in just 15 minutes, perfect for lunch or a light dinner, and an easy way to add plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit to your day. Even better, it’s incredibly versatile, so you can easily adapt it to whatever you have in your fridge.
The first version of this salad appeared on the blog back in 2009. Since then I’ve made it countless times, and while I rarely prepare it exactly the same way twice, the combination of chicken and mango has remained a favorite. This updated version is the one I keep coming back to.
Recipe ingredients
You’ll find the full ingredient list and exact quantities in the recipe card below, but here’s what you’ll need:
- Chicken – I usually cook a chicken breast, but smoked chicken works great too and saves even more time. Rotisserie chicken is another great option.
- Mango – Use a ripe mango for the best sweetness. Pre-cut mango is perfect if you’re short on time. I tend to always have a bag of frozen mango in the freezer as they’re so easy to use.
- Arugula – Adds a lovely peppery flavor. Baby spinach or mixed salad leaves are great substitutes.
- Spring onions – For a mild onion flavor.
- Sun-dried tomatoes – They add a delicious savory contrast to the sweet mango. Fun part: you make oven sun-dried tomatoes really easily.
- Gherkins – I absolutely love the tang they bring to this salad. If you’re not a fan, simply leave them out or replace them with cucumber for a milder flavor.
The dressing
The creamy dressing is one of my favorite parts of this salad. I simply mix mayonnaise with mustard, honey and fresh lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper. It’s creamy, slightly sweet and just tangy enough to bring everything together.
If I’m in the mood for a little heat, I’ll stir in a spoonful of crispy chili oil, which works surprisingly well with the sweet mango.
How to make chicken mango salad
Cook the chicken until it’s cooked through, then shred or slice it and leave it to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, dice the mango, slice the spring onions, chop the gherkins and cut the sun-dried tomatoes into strips.
Arrange the arugula on a serving platter or divide it between two bowls. Top with the chicken, mango, spring onions, sun-dried tomatoes and gherkins.
Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, honey and lemon juice until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper, drizzle over the salad and serve immediately.
Storage
This salad is best enjoyed fresh, but you can prepare all the ingredients ahead of time and store them separately in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Add the dressing just before serving to keep the salad crisp.
Freezing is not recommended, as the mango and salad leaves lose their texture after thawing.
FAQ Chicken Mango Salad
Yes. Prepare the ingredients in advance and keep the dressing separate until you’re ready to serve.
Absolutely. Leftover roast chicken, rotisserie chicken or smoked chicken all work perfectly.
Baby spinach, romaine lettuce or a mixed leaf salad are all great alternatives.
Definitely. Avocado, cucumber, bell pepper or toasted nuts are all delicious additions.
More Mango Recipes
As it turns out I absolutely love adding mango to just about everything. Well that’s not entirely true but I do love adding it to my meals. Check out some examples below.
Chicken mango salad
Ingredients
- 250 g chicken filet
- 1 mango cleaned and in cubes
- 1 spring onions sliced
- 75 g arugula
- 3 gherkins cubed
- 3 pcs sundried tomatoes sliced
Dressing
- 2 tbsp mayonaise
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
How do you make the chicken mango salad
- Add the chicken fillet to boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes or until cooked through. Take out of the water and pull apart with your fingers or two forks and leave to cool.
- Peel the mango and cut in thin slices. Cut the onions and gherkins in small pieces. Put the arugula on a plate. Add the pieces of mango, onion, tomatoes and gherkins. Add the chicken to the salad
- Make a dressing from the mayonaise, honey, mustard, salt and pepper. Mix everything well and pour over the salad. Enjoy right away
Nutrition Information per portion:
Disclaimer:
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
Mango.. I just lurve mango… Again, your photography is great!
So fresh and delicious. It’s really making me look forward to summer!
Ok, update, I just made the oatmeal again (reading your comment made me want some for dinner!) but I made it in a much smaller baking dish. The apples didn’t all bake so I would advise sticking with a large surface area baking dish.
Great looking salad! I go to spinning classes too, but luckily the ones I attend are in the evening. I can’t seem to do morning exercise.
This is a great salad and I love the dressing and can see how that would compliment so many things!!!
Oh my, I love mango and chicken, and Ian love’s rocket! (it’s called arugula here but it took him a long time to realize that they are the same thing. He always hears Jamie Oliver say ‘rocket’) I am saving this for next week, the fruit store has some amazing little yellow mango’s. I’m sure you will hear about how it turns out! Oh yeah, for the oatmeal, I would assume any type of oats would work considering it is in the oven for 20-25 minutes. As a rule of thumb, just bake it until all the liquid is gone.
I am also a firm believer that eating right is as important as exercising. There are no easy or magic ways to be fit and healthy. That’s why the people who are are admired by the rest of us 😀
Great salad, I love mangoes!
You have such a great approach! Good for you!
The salad looks beautiful, and sounds delicious. That’s a perfect combination!!
Thanks Ann, yes, the colors remind me a bit of spring coming don’t they?
Thanks Olga! I have a thing for tablecloths… Can’t resist buying more and more of them.
Thanks Nicole!
First, I absolutely love the tablecloth: so fun!
I also love chicken salad with fruit: and mangoes are my favorite!
The salad looks really beautiful! Love the colours and flavours.
You should definitely try the salad as it is really tasty and quite filling for such a light salad. I think it’s about 350 kcal for one person… Nice and light lunch or even dinner!
I agree, swimsuit season sneaks up on me every year. In fact, I just realized that we are going on a vaca in a few weeks! This salads looks great though, and the mango would certainly curb my sweet tooth.
A beautiful fresh salad so full of flavour and just perfect for getting ready for the bikini season!