Grilled Chicken Salad with Mango Dressing

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Grilled Chicken Salad with Mango Dressing is a summer supper that keeps you out of a hot kitchen. The chicken cooks on the grill, and the rest is ripe mango, crisp garden vegetables, and fresh greens tossed together in minutes. The dressing is fresh and homemade with mango, lime, orange, and a little jalapeño for spice. Grill the chicken and blend the dressing ahead of time, and dinner comes together as a quick toss when you’re ready.

The idea for this salad’s dressing started with a bottled mango dressing I used to grab at Trader Joe’s. I loved it on summer salads, but it’s a seasonal item there and not always on the shelf, so I started making my own.

Fresh mango, real lime and orange, a little jalapeño for heat, and I can mix up just what I need instead of parking three half-used bottles in the fridge door. It’s fresher, there’s nothing in it I can’t pronounce, and it’s the whole reason this salad works.

The salad itself is what I reach for when it’s too hot to cook inside. The chicken goes on the grill so the kitchen stays cool; everything else is chopping, and the mango and dressing give it a tropical lean that feels like a small vacation on a weeknight. Grill the chicken and blend the dressing a day ahead, and supper is a five-minute toss when you’re ready.

Ingredient Notes

Grilled Chicken Salad

• Extra-virgin olive oil | Used to brush the chicken before grilling so it doesn’t stick to the grates and picks up good color. Any neutral or light olive oil works if that’s what you have on hand.
• Boneless skinless chicken breasts | Pounding them to an even thickness before grilling is the key to juicy chicken. If you’d rather skip that step, boneless chicken thighs are naturally more forgiving and work well here too.
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper | To simply season the chicken breasts before grilling.
• Fresh greens or a baby lettuce blend | I like a mix of spinach and arugula for a little peppery bite, but any mixed greens you have will work just fine.
• English cucumber | Seeded and sliced for crunch. English cucumbers have thinner skin and fewer seeds than regular cucumbers, so there’s less prep involved.
• Red bell pepper | Adds sweetness and color. Yellow or orange bell pepper will work equally well if that’s what’s in your fridge.
• Red onion | Sliced thin for a little sharpness that balances the sweetness of the mango. Soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes first if you’d like to mellow the bite.
• Mango | Diced mango goes in the salad itself, and puréed mango is the base of the dressing, so you’ll want extra on hand. Ripe mango should give slightly when you press it, similar to a ripe avocado.

Mango Dressing

• Mango | Purée it until it’s completely smooth to build the base of the dressing. Go for the ripest one you can find for the best flavor.
• Citrus juices | Both lime and orange juice brighten up the dressing.
• Honey | This sweetens things up and helps the dressing come together smoothly in the blender.
• Jalapeño | I seed mine well for a milder dressing, but you can leave a few seeds for more kick.
• Fresh cilantro | Gives the dressing an herby freshness. If you’re not a cilantro fan, parsley is a fine substitute.
• Olive oil | Drizzle it in slowly at the very end so the dressing emulsifies.
• Kosher salt and black pepper | Season the dressing to taste with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder for savory notes. 

Variations and Substitutions

• Swap the chicken for grilled shrimp or salmon. Both take on that same smoky char in just a few minutes and pair beautifully with the mango dressing. If you go with shrimp, thread it on skewers so it doesn’t slip through the grates.
• Try pineapple or peach instead of mango. Either one purées up just as sweet and juicy for the dressing, and diced peach is especially good when mangoes aren’t in season.
• Turn it into a wrap. Skip the bowl and roll the chicken, veggies, and a drizzle of dressing into a large flour tortilla for an easy lunch on the go.
• Leave the jalapeño out of the dressing. If you’re serving picky eaters or little ones, the dressing is still plenty flavorful without the heat. 
• Add extra veggies or toppings. You can add different vegetables like cherry tomatoes, avocado, or even top it off with some feta cheese.

How to Make Grilled Chicken Salad With Mango Dressing

STEP 1 | Grill the chicken

Brush each side of chicken breasts with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill chicken over medium-high heat until done and juices run clear. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes, then cut into bite-size pieces.

STEP 2 | Cut the veggies

Slice the cucumber and red onion, and dice the red bell pepper.

STEP 3 | Dice the mango

Whether you are starting with a whole mango or pre-prepped pieces, you’ll want to dice it into smallish bite-sized cubes.

STEP 4 | Make the dressing

Place 1 cup diced mango in a blender and process until puréed. Add the remaining ingredients —except for olive oil — and blend until smooth. With the blender running on low speed, slowly pour in olive oil and blend until emulsified. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

STEP 5 | Bring it all together

In a large salad bowl, toss salad greens with English cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion slices, and diced mango. Add chicken and toss again. Serve with Mango Dressing.

Storage Tips

• To store: Keep the dressed grilled chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day, though it’s best eaten the same day since the greens will soften over time. If you’re planning leftovers, store the salad undressed and add dressing right before eating. That way, the salad and dressing can last up to 3 days stored in the fridge.
• To make ahead: Grill the chicken and make the mango dressing up to 2 days in advance, and store them separately in the refrigerator. Chop the vegetables the day you plan to serve for the best texture, then toss everything together right before you sit down to eat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Grilled Chicken Salad with Mango Dressing

Author: Sheila Thigpen

Grilled chicken, sweet mango, and crisp veggies come together in this fresh entree salad, topped with a bright homemade mango dressing. It's light, healthy, and ready in about 30 minutes.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Calories 517 kcal

Ingredients

  

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• ▢ 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 4 cups fresh greens or 5 oz. pkg. baby lettuce blend with spinach & arugula
• ▢ ½ large English cucumber seeded and sliced
• ▢ ½ large red bell pepper diced
• ▢ ¼ medium red onion thinly sliced
• ▢ 1 cup mango diced and puréed

For the Mango Dressing

• ▢ 1 cup mango diced and puréed
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon lime zest
• ▢ 3 tablespoons honey
• ▢ 1 small jalapeño seeded and chopped
• ▢ ¼ cup cilantro leaves
• ▢ ½ cup olive oil
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon onion powder

Instructions

 

• Heat a gas grill to high heat, approximately 450 degrees.
• Remove the chicken from the packaging and pat dry with paper towels. Place the chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to gently pound the chicken to an even 1/2-inch thickness.
• Brush the breasts on both sides with the olive oil and season with the salt and black pepper.
• Cook the chicken on the grill for 4 to 5 minutes on the first side, until golden brown and slightly charred. Flip and continue grilling until just cooked through, 3 to 4 more minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 165 degrees.
• Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and tent with aluminum foil for 5-10 minutes, then cut into bite size pieces.
• In a large salad bowl gently toss the salad greens with English cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion slices, and diced mango.
• Add the chopped chicken and toss again. Serve drizzled with mango dressing.

Mango Dressing

• To make the dressing, place 1 cup of diced mango in a blender and process until puréed. Add the remaining ingredients — except for the olive oil — and blend until smooth.
• With the blender running on low speed, slowly pour in olive oil and blend until emulsified. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

I first shared this recipe as a contributor at The Weary Chef.

• Pound the chicken to an even ½-inch thickness before grilling so it cooks evenly and stays juicy.
• No grill? A grill pan or cast-iron skillet on the stovetop works just as well.
• Make the mango dressing up to 2 days ahead and store it separately in the fridge until ready to serve.
• For the best texture, dress the salad just before serving rather than letting it sit.
• Leftover mango dressing keeps for about a week and is great on tacos, grain bowls, or grilled shrimp.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 517kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 25gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 341mgFiber: 10gSugar: 27g

Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietitian or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

Keyword chicken, chopped salad, mango