Chicken Mango Avocado Salad

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken breasts (2 medium breasts, cut in half lengthwise)
• 0.5 tsp garlic salt (or to taste)
• 0.125 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
• 2 tsp olive oil (for sautéing)
• 6 cup romaine lettuce (1 head, rinsed, chopped and spun dry)
• 0.5 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 0.5 english cucumber (sliced)
• 1 mango (pitted, peeled and diced)
• 1 avocado (pitted, peeled and diced)
• 0.5 purple onion (small, thinly sliced)
• 0.25 cup cilantro (chopped)
• 0.5 cup sliced almonds (toasted, for topping)
• 0.5 cup extra virgin olive oil (for dressing)
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 garlic clove (1 tsp minced)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 0.25 tsp black pepper (or to taste, for dressing)

Steps

1. 1

   Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create thinner cutlets.

2. 2

   Season the chicken with 1/2 tsp garlic salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper (or to taste).

3. 3

   Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sauté until browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.

4. 4

   Remove the chicken from the pan and let it cool for 5 minutes. Once cooled, slice the chicken into strips against the grain.

5. 5

   In a large salad bowl, add the 6 cups of chopped romaine lettuce.

6. 6

   Top the lettuce with the halved cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, diced mango, diced avocado, thinly sliced purple onion, and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (cilantro can be omitted if preferred).

7. 7

   To make the Honey Vinaigrette Dressing, combine 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tsp dijon mustard, 2 tsp honey, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tsp sea salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper in a mason jar.

8. 8

   Cover the jar tightly with a lid and shake until the dressing is well combined. Alternatively, whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl.

9. 9

   If not using the dressing immediately, shake well just before serving. Drizzle the dressing over the salad to taste and top with 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds.

Notes

The nutrition label reflects using about 2/3 of the prepared dressing. To toast almonds, heat them in a dry pan over medium heat, tossing frequently until fragrant and golden. A mango slicer and salad spinner are recommended tools for efficiency.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• salad
• chicken
• mango
• avocado
• copycat
• Cheesecake Factory
• healthy