Tropical Chicken Salad with Mango Dressing

Large bowl of tropical chicken salad with grilled chicken, mango, macadamia nuts, avocado, tomatoes, peppers, and coconut flakes on a bed of lettuce. It is sitting on stripped towel on a circular cutting board with a mango behind it.

5 from 1 vote

Tropical Chicken Salad with Mango Dressing

Tropical Chicken Salad packs spicy chipotle grilled chicken, fresh veggies, macadamia nuts, coconut flakes, and avocado, complete with a creamy, dairy-free mango dressing. It makes a perfect light and healthy summer salad full of protein, healthy fats, and veggies for a balanced meal. Paleo, Whole30, gluten free, and dairy free.

Course Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword Tropical Chicken Salad

Prep Time 2 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 1 20

Servings servings

Calories 434kcal

Author Kelly Nardo

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

1 pound chicken breasts
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 tablespoon avocado oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika powder
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste

Tropical Chicken Salad

8 cups chopped romaine lettuce (2 heads/470 grams)
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (300 grams)
1 large orange bell pepper, roughly chopped (200 grams)
1 cup diced mango (175 grams)
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
1 large avocado, sliced (150 grams)
1/3 cup coconut flakes
oil, for sautéing

Mango Dressing

2/3 cup lite coconut milk
1 cup diced mango (175 grams)
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
salt, to taste

Instructions

Marinade the chicken. Add chicken, lime juice, oil, and spices to a plastic bag or sealable dish and mix well to combine. Marinate overnight or for at least 2 hours.
When the chicken is done marinating, heat up the grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Place chicken directly on grill over direct heat and grill for 15-20 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Cook until no pink remains or the chicken has an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
While the chicken cooks, make the coconut dressing by adding the coocnut milk, mango, lime juice, chipotle, and salt to a Vitamix or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Dressing is thick - if you want a thinner consistency, add more liquid (coconut milk, lime juice, or water). Set aside.
Make the toasted coconut flakes. Heat a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add a little oil to the pan and let it get hot, about 30 seconds. Add coconut flakes and saute for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until golden brown. Remove from heat immediately.
Assemble the salads by evenly dividing the veggies between 4 bowls. Once chicken is cooked through, let it rest for a couple minutes and then slice and serve on top of salad with the coconut dressing. Enjoy!

Notes

Calorie breakdown does not include dressing. Nutritional information per 2 tablespoons of dressing is as follows:

164 calories - 0g protein, 3g carbs, 1g fat, 2.4g sugar

Nutrition