A mango and avocado salsa with cilantro lime chicken salad! This cilantro lime chicken salad has so much flavor and a creamy/sweet mango avocado salsa for an added summer vibe, holding onto summer just a little bit longer.
Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad + Mango Avocado Salsa salad is, dare I say, even better because it has a marinade that also functions as a dressing, similar to that of Grilled Chilli Lime Chicken Fajita Salad.
This salad would be complete with chargrilled red pepper (capsicum) slices, crunchy romaine lettuce, and the tangy, sweet marinade poured into succulent chicken thighs. The mango salsa, however, truly steals the show in this salad.
Although I was cautious to add mango to this salad, I could nearly taste how the creamy avocado and the juicy, sweet mango would complement one another. And they did!
This was quite addicting because of the mango. We could not put the food down.
My husband was watching me make this salad from the safety of his own home, shaking his head as I threw ingredients around like it was nobody’s business, stopping to taste test every 5 seconds, and tweaking ingredients and flavors as I went.
I was also dancing to Beyonce in the kitchen as I worked. He observed all that was going on and gave me the look of a madman taking over his kitchen.
Avocado and mango? Together? With Chicken? Are you certain?
Chicken Salad + Mango Avocado Salsa (Pinterest)First, prepare the marinade/dressing. Then, place the chicken thighs in the sweet, sour, cilantro-infused marinade. Finally, reserve the remaining marinade to be used as a dressing. Simple?
Next, cook your chicken thoroughly on a grill or in a pan. These will slightly burn because of the honey and brown sugar in the marinade. I guess, right?
Peppers can be grilled or fried.
With a few tablespoons of the dressing that was set aside, make the greatest salsa you’ve ever tasted. I am aware of that. EVERYONE claims that theirs is the best. Good luck not eating it all before it gets to the salad, I’ll simply add.
Prepare your salad and get ready for an amazing experience. Do not claim that I did not warn you.
INGREDIENTS of Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad + Mango Avocado Salsa
Marinade/Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro (coriander)
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground Cumin
- 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
Salad:
- 4 chicken thigh fillets, skin removed (no bone)
- 5 cups Romaine (Cos) lettuce leaves, washed and dried
- 1 red pepper (capsicum), deseeded and sliced
Mango Salsa:
- 1 large mango, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1 green onion (shallot), peeled and thinly sliced
- Extra coriander leaves to garnish
- Red chili flakes, to garnish
Chicken Salad + Mango Avocado Salsa (Pinterest)INSTRUCTIONS for Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad + Mango Avocado Salsa
- Combine the marinade ingredients in a whisk. Pour a third of the marinade onto a shallow dish and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before using (ideally one to two hours if you have the time). To use as a dressing, store the leftover marinade in the refrigerator.
- Cook chicken fillets until golden, crispy, and well cooked on both sides by grilling them in a grill pan or skillet heated to medium-high heat with about one teaspoon of oil.
After the chicken is cooked, remove it from the grill and allow it to rest (grill in batches of two to prevent the release of extra water). - After wiping the pan clean with paper towels, add another teaspoon of oil and grill or fried the peppers until they are cooked to your preference.
- Cooking the peppers while making the mango salsa. In a bowl, mix the mango, avocado, and green onion. Two teaspoons of the saved dressing should be added to the salsa. Place aside.
- Prepare a salad with lettuce, chopped peppers, and mango salsa. Slice the chicken into strips. Add the chicken strips on top. Serve with (optional) more coriander leaves and red chili flakes and drizzle with the remaining dressing.