Mangocado Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

I recently had brunch at Love Lane Kitchen in Mattituck, NY to top off a weekend of weddings and wine tastings. This restaurant was filled with things I love: white walls with splashes of turquoise to remind me of the ocean, fresh locally grown foods, mason jar glasses, cute & clever signs such as “Complaint Department 200 Miles That Way →” and most importantly, bottomless fresh-brewed self serve coffee. I had indulged all weekend and was craving something fresh and light, and they serendipitously had a Mango Avocado Salad on the specials menu which really hit the spot. The next day I found myself stirring up my own Cilantro Lime Avocado dressing for lunch on the patio and it earned quite the praise. This recipe is a true winner.

Note: This salad would alternatively be excellent served vegetarian or with grilled shrimp.

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MANGOCADO SALAD WITH GRILLED CHICKEN & CILANTRO LIME DRESSING

Prep Time: 15 minutes │Cook Time: 10 minutes │Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 3 large dinner salads or 5 to 6 side salads 

Ingredients:

For salad:

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 ripened mangos, diced into 1 inch cubes or slivers (I used champagne mangos)
• 1 1/2 soft avocado, sliced (use 2nd half for dressing)
• 4 to 5 ounces spring lettuce (roughly 4 cups) (substitute with romaine or any green lettuce)
• Salt and pepper, for seasoning

For dressing*:

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, from approximately 2 limes
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or walnut oil
• 1/2 soft avocado (optional**)  
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon srirachi, or any hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

*Feel free to add more cilantro, honey or srirachi to your palates liking.

**Skip avocado if you plan to make the dressing ahead of time or store. Avocado will turn the dressing brown. 

Instructions:

1. Make dressing: Combine lime juice, oil, 1/2 avocado, honey and srirachi into a bowl. Stir with whisk or fork until smooth with no chunks. Add cilantro, coriander, salt and pepper; stir until smooth and set aside.
2. Prepare salad: Add lettuce to plate or bowls for serving. Slice avocado and mangos and add to top of salad.
3. Cook chicken: Wash chicken, cut into strips and season both sides with salt and pepper. Add olive to a non-stick pan then add chicken. Pour 1 tablespoon of lime juice over the chicken. Turn heat to medium and cook chicken for roughly 4 minutes on each side until just cooked through (no pink). Flip the chicken and move around in pan once more (quickly) to pick up the grilled color and flavor from the pan.
4. Combine: Add grilled chicken to the salad, pour dressing atop, garnish with freshly ground pepper and serve!

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Pairs Well With: Guacamole and chips, bread, Prosecco, albariño

Soundtrack Pairing: Island in the Sun (Weezer), Don’t Worry Be Happy (Bobby McFerrin), Could You Be Loved (Bob Marley)