30-Minute Thai Green Mango and Chicken Salad
Refreshing Southeast Asian salad with poached chicken, julienned green mango, carrot, and cucumber, dressed with lime, fish sauce, and fresh herbs. Quick to prepare and ideal as a light lunch or appetizer. The combination of cool vegetables with tender chicken creates a balanced, aromatic dish.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- ½ cup water
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- 2 quarter-sized slices ginger
- 1 pound chicken breast, sliced in thin strips
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 green mango, peeled and julienned
- 1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
- 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and julienned
- ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
- ¼ cup basil, finely chopped
- ¼ cup peanuts, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ cup shallot, finely diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 serrano pepper, mincedthai bird's eye chili1/2 quantitytag:spicy
significantly hotter
- 2 limes, juice
Instructions
- 1
Mix fish sauce into water, add smashed garlic and ginger slices. Add chicken breast strips and marinate for 15 minutes.
- 2
Drain chicken well. Heat skillet to high, add vegetable oil and chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked, around 3-4 minutes.
- 3
Remove chicken from heat and cool to room temperature.
- 4
Peel and julienne green mango, carrot, and cucumber. For mango, peel first, then take thin slices from the sides of the pit and cut into thin strips.
- 5
Make dressing by combining fish sauce, sugar, minced garlic, minced shallot, minced serrano pepper, and lime juice in a small bowl. Stir until sugar dissolves.
- 6
Add mango, carrot, cucumber, cilantro, basil, peanuts, and cooled chicken to a large bowl. Pour dressing over and mix well.
- 7
Serve as a light lunch or as a starter.
Tips
Cooling the chicken to room temperature prevents the dressing from cooking the delicate vegetables.
Julienne vegetables just before assembling to maintain crispness and prevent oxidation.
Adjust lime juice and fish sauce to taste for balance between acid and umami.
Good to Know
Keep dressed salad refrigerated up to 1 day. Store undressed components separately for up to 2 days.
Marinate chicken and prepare vegetables up to 4 hours ahead. Cook chicken, cool completely, and refrigerate. Prepare dressing up to 1 day ahead. Assemble and dress just before serving.
Serve chilled or at room temperature. Portion into bowls or serve on a platter as an appetizer. Accompany with jasmine rice or as part of a larger Thai meal.
Common Mistakes
Over-cooking the chicken leads to dryness; cook only until just done at 3-4 minutes.
Adding dressing too early wilts vegetables; dress just before serving.
Skipping the cooling step results in warm salad; always cool chicken to room temperature first.
Using unripe or red mango changes flavor profile; select firm, green mango for tartness.
Substitutions
Vegan Options
Nut-Free Alternatives
General Alternatives
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