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Caribbean Chicken Salad with Mango Dressing

A recipe for grilled Caribbean Chicken Salad packed with crisp veggies, black beans, juicy chicken and sweet oranges, topped with a tangy mango dressing.

Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 371 kcal
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the Caribbean Chicken Salad:
  • 4 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar light or dark
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 4  thin cut chicken breasts* about 12 ounces
  • ½ small red onion thinly sliced
  • 18  ounces chopped romaine lettuce leafy greens and hearts
  • 2 red bell peppers cored and diced
  • 1 cup canned reduced-sodium black beans rinsed and drained
  • 15 ounces mandarin oranges in light syrup drained (or substitute other juicy tropical fruits, such as diced mango or diced pineapple)
  • fresh cilantro for serving
For the Mango Dressing:
  • 1 large mango* peeled, pitted and roughly chopped or 1 1/4 cups frozen and thawed mango chunks
  • ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 medium size limes, though you may need additional if the limes are not very juicy)
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Place the soy sauce, olive oil, brown sugar, and ginger in a gallon-sized ziptop bag, seal tightly pressing out all of the air, and "squish" to combine. Add the chicken, firmly seal the bag again, and move the chicken around gently so that all sides are coated and it lays flat when the bag is on its side. Let marinade for 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight. (If refrigerating overnight, let the chicken stand at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to grilling.) Meanwhile, prepare the dressing and other ingredients.
  2. Place the sliced red onions in a small bowl with water. Let sit while you prepare the rest of the salad (this mellows the red onions' bite, while maintaining their flavor; if you like the taste of raw red onion as is, you can feel free to skip this step).
  3. Make the dressing: Puree the mango, lime juice, honey, cumin, coriander, and cayenne in your food processor until smooth. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil and blend to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Use for salad, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Shake well before using.
  4. Cook the chicken: Heat a grill pan or an outdoor grill over medium heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, lightly shake off the excess, and grill for about 2 minutes per side, until cooked through (see ingredient notes for more information about length of cooking time). Remove to plate and let stand for 5 minutes. Cut into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
  5. In a large bowl, combine the romaine, red bell pepper, black beans, and red onion. Add the chicken, drizzle with the mango lime dressing. Toss to coat. Scatter the oranges and cilantro over the top, then serve.

Notes

  • *If you cannot find thin-cut chicken breasts, you can use two regular chicken breasts by splitting them in half horizontally. Each of my thin-cut breasts weighed about 2.5 ounces and was less than a quarter inch thick. If your chicken breasts are thicker, you will need to grill them for longer.
  • Store leftover mango dressing in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1(of 4) with 2 tablespoons of mango dressing Calories 371kcal (19%) Carbohydrates 46g (15%) Protein 26g (52%) Fat 11g (17%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Cholesterol 49mg (16%) Sodium 591mg (25%) Fiber 8g (32%) Sugar 30g (60%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 371

% Daily Value*

Serving 1(of 4) with 2 tablespoons of mango dressing
Calories 371kcal 19%
Carbohydrates 46g 15%
Protein 26g 52%
Fat 11g 17%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 49mg 16%
Sodium 591mg 25%
Fiber 8g 32%
Sugar 30g 60%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.