This Mango Chicken Salad is made with cooked chicken, mango, red onion, and an easy homemade mayo. Even better, it comes together in 15 minutes! It's a make-ahead meal that's perfect for lunch!
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by National Mango Board. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that help run this site.
In celebration of National Mango Month, I wanted to "mang-over" one of my favorite lunch recipes, chicken salad!
This mango chicken salad is both savory and sweet, and I know you're going to love it! It features my homemade mayo, and a handful of other ingredients that make it all come together quite quickly.
Plus, who doesn't love a sweet addition to chicken salad?!
Mangos are a must-have on my shopping list because they are packed with nutrients, especially Vitamin C -- a ¾ cup serving provides 50% of the daily value. They're always in season and available fresh year-round, thanks to six varieties that have staggered growing seasons from different parts of the world.
Ingredient notes:
Chicken - I almost always use chicken breast when making chicken salad, but chicken thighs work as well.
Mango - Mangos are incredibly versatile, and they pair perfectly with chicken. For this recipe, you only need one mango, and any variety will work, just make sure that it's ripe. A ripe mango will give slightly when you press on it, indicating soft flesh inside.
Mayonnaise - Because it's made with avocado oil, my homemade mayo is Paleo-friendly and comes together in 5 minutes!
Lime juice - To taste.
Chili powder - To taste. Start with a small quantity here, as you don't want it to be too spicy.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Cook the chicken. For this recipe, cut the chicken into small, bite-size pieces then pan-fry it with the onions and jalapeño for 5 minutes or so, or until the chicken is cooked through. Then, transfer the chicken into a large bowl.
Step 2: Add the other ingredients. The homemade mayo, mango and cilantro can all get added to the bowl with the chicken. Stir until the chicken is coated with the mayo, then add the lime juice, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
Step 3: Taste test. Take a taste and see if you think it needs more lime juice, chili powder and/or salt and adjust as needed. Then, scoop the chicken salad onto bread (or eat it straight out of the bowl!).
Expert Tips and Tricks
Substitutions:
- Chicken -- you can use any kind of chicken you're able to find at the grocery store (breast, thighs, tenders).
- Chili powder/Jalapeño -- These ingredients give the recipe a little more flavor, but you can omit them if you want to eliminate any spiciness.
- Red onion -- You could also sub green onion, though I wouldn't sauté it with the chicken, I'd add it at the end.
If you plan on serving this on bread, make sure to cut the chicken into small, bite-size pieces so it's easier to eat.
How should I store this?
Store chicken salad in a container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Can chicken salad be frozen?
I wouldn't. Chicken salad is meant to be eaten cold, and if you freeze it you'll have to reheat it eventually, which would defeat the purpose because you'd be eating it warm.
Check out this video for how to make mango chicken salad:
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If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Mango Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chicken breast diced
- ¼ cup red onion diced
- 1 tablespoon jalapeño diced with seeds removed
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ¼ cup homemade mayo
- 1 mango diced
- 2 tablespoon cilantro chopped
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder or more
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the chicken, onion and jalapeño pepper and sauté until chicken is cooked; pour into a bowl.
- Add homemade mayo, mango and cilantro, then add the lime juice, chili powder, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Do a taste test and see if you think it needs more lime juice and/or chili powder.
- Scoop chicken salad onto bread (or eat as-is) and enjoy!
Ashley Martin says
I love chicken salad and this was an awesome upgrade! Will definitely be making again and again!
Sabrina says
what a creative sandwich, mango and jalapeno are a really nice set of flavors to add to chicken in a sandwich, definitely better than a standard chicken salad sandwich, thank you!