Hola, amigos! I must confess, I fully intended to give you two posts last week, but somehow having the 4th thrown right into the middle of my week made me extra spacey and lazy…so that didn’t happen. But I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and took some time to relax with friends and family. Boyfriend and I actually got to spend several days together {we live about 2 1/2 hours apart, so getting more than a weekend is rare} and spent those days being terrifically lazy.
Well, minus those couple of hours he spent outside meticulously hand-washing his car. While I napped in the air-conditioned house. We have a well-balanced relationship indeed.
I’ve noted before that I usually feel the need to consume insane amounts of fruits and veggies after a long holiday weekend. And with the amount of Mexican food consumed this weekend {because nothing says “America!” quite like a burrito}, I definitely need to be thinking about salads this week. Lots of salads.
This Mango Chicken Salad is the perfect summer salad, if you ask me. It is {obviously} colorful, makes use of some of the best fruits that summer has to offer, and won’t weigh you down. We’ve got crisp, fresh greens, juicy grilled chicken, sweet mangos, strawberries, and nectarines, and crunchy toasted pecans. Drizzle on a divine mango-based dressing, and you have a sumer salad that is impossible to beat.
This salad was extra easy to prepare with some of OXO’s amazing fruit tools, particularly their mango splitter {nothing could make slicing around those danged mango pits easier than that little dude} and the strawberry huller {my current new obsession}. I’m not usually a fan of kitchen “unitaskers”, but these tools are definitely the exception to that rule. Anything that makes summer cooking even easier is definitely desirable in my book.
You know, because I need to save up my energy for those marathon naps and all.
OXO provided me with some of their fruit tools to try out, but I was under no obligation to write a review {or a positive one}. As always, opinions are 100% my own.
Mango Chicken Salad
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 12 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts
For the dressing:
- 1 cup cubed mango
- 3 Tbl. orange juice
- 2 Tbl. rice vinegar or white-wine vinegar
- 2 tsp. honey
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
For the salad:
- 6 cups mixed greens
- 2 large nectarines or peaches, sliced
- 1 cup sliced strawberries or blueberries
- 1 mango diced
- 1 cup toasted pecan halves
Instructions
Prepare the chicken:
- Combine curry powder, pepper and salt; sprinkle evenly over chicken. Grill chicken over medium heat, turning once, until cooked through,12-15 minutes. Allow chicken to rest 2-3 minutes. Slice chicken into 1/4" strips.
Make the dressing:
- In a blender or food processor, combine 1 cup mango cubes, orange juice, vinegar, honey and mustard. Blend until mixture is smooth. Chill vinaigrette, covered, up to 2 hours.
Arrange the salad:
- Arrange greens on three or four plates. Divide remaining mango cubes, chicken, nectarines, strawberries, and pecans evenly between salads. Drizzle salads with vinaigrette.
Adapted from a recipe found online, though the original source has long been lost.
Clearly, I’ve taught you well.
Ain’t no doubt there.
This salad looks delicious… I love all of the flavors, and I can’t help but to think that all of those flavors combined would be delish!
That curry rub on the chicken especially makes all the difference!
I so need a salad like this after the holiday weekend. I ate dinner out four days in a row, ugh. This looks so fresh and delicious!
Don’t I know that story well. That’s ok, hit refresh with salad!
So glad you two loverbirds got to spend some quality time together and enjoy the 4th, which is, as far as I’m concerned, the most romantic holiday ever! 🙂 This salad is SO GORGEGOUS! AAAAAAh! Okay, I love it and could definitely use it after my own burrito fest this weekend!
Seriously, how are burritos always the go-to? Yummm.
This looks insanely delicious!
This salad looks so perfect!
Definitely just (A) summed up my 4th of July eating (“lots of salads” – preach, man), (B) summed up my 4th of July activities (what is WITH their love for car washing?) & (C) started my day with gorgeous foodie aesthetics and inspired me to get back in my own 1.5-butt kitchen. You are one mighty talented lady. Three cheers for a hat-trick!
After he washed the car, I was informed that I was not to touch any of the glass. Humph. It’s like he knows I’m a messy whirlwind or something. Frankly, I’m probably lucky he lets me in that car at all. 😉
Hello fabulous tropical health party in my bowl! If this is your holiday detox program, then I am in love with food rehab.
This, and smoothies. Lots of them. 😉
This is my kind of summer salad! Love all of the fruit!
Thanks! Can’t have too much fruit if you ask me.
America, land of the burrito. Yep, that sounds about right.
Oh and OMG THIS SALAD OMNOMNOM… I mean, this looks quite delightful. 🙂
I mean, when you have burritos and tacos and beans and rice…do you really need anything else?
Delicious! xx
Haha! We did Mexican on the 4th too! I think it should be a new tradition. 🙂 Glad you got to spend time with the boyfriend and enjoyed your holiday weekend!
I feel ya, I have a case of the lazies too! This salad looks so beautiful. The perfect summer colors.
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