This easy grilled chicken salad combines juicy grilled chicken, fresh vegetables, sweet mango, black beans, and creamy cilantro lime yogurt dressing for a high-protein, high-fiber meal perfect for lunch or dinner.
Grilled Chicken Salad with Mango and Black Beans
Grilled Chicken Salad is one of my favorite summer meals because it’s easy, high in protein, and packed with fresh ingredients. This version features juicy grilled chicken, mango, black beans, crunchy romaine, cucumbers and tomatoes, all dressed with flavor-boosting Greek yogurt and a creamy cilantro-lime dressing. The dressing also acts as a marinade for the chicken, making each bite bright, flavorful, and delicious.
Why We Love This Grilled Chicken Salad Recipe
Packed with protein, fiber, and colorful vegetables, this healthy grilled chicken salad with cilantro-lime dressing is enough for dinner, perfect for a meal prep lunch, and is light and refreshing for warm weather.
- A complete and satisfying meal: Anyone who said salads aren’t appropriate for dinner has clearly never had a salad before the age of 34. grams of protein and 9 Grams of fiber!
- Great for meal prep: Some components can be prepared a day early and easily packaged for meals on the go.
- fast: Once the chicken is marinated, it’s ready within 15 minutes, making it a great option for busy weeknights.
Grilled Chicken Salad Ingredients
The creamy cilantro-lime dressing serves two purposes. Use it as a salad dressing or a chicken marinade to add a bright, savory flavor to every bite. See recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breast It is a lean source of protein. It’s not as tasty as the thighs, but the salad dressing tastes better.
- kosher salt For seasoning.
- Romaine Lettuce: Cut 2 romaine hearts into small pieces.
- vegetable: Cherry tomatoes, Persian cucumbers, red onions.
- mango: Ripe mangoes are soft to the touch but not tough. To cut, you can peel or cut off the skin. Then, stand the mango upright, cut off the flesh around the seed, and chop it into small pieces. Alternatively, you can cut the mango with the skin still intact. Then cut the mango into cubes and remove the skin.
- canned black beans For protein and fiber
- coriander leaves For decoration
Cilantro Lime Dressing for Salad
Don’t worry about dicing all your ingredients perfectly. Rough cutting will work because everything will be mixed anyway.
- master: Pack the leaves and tender (AKA thin) stems tightly into a 1-cup measuring cup.
- Jalapeño: Remove the stems and seeds and chop them coarsely.
- Aromatic: Green onions and garlic for flavor.
- lime juice: The acidity brightens the dressing and tenderizes the chicken.
- Cream Ingredients: Using whole milk Greek yogurt and mayonnaise makes a richer dressing than low-fat options.
- kosher salt Brings all the flavors together
How to Make Grilled Chicken Salad
If you don’t have a grill or grill pan, use a cast iron skillet or air fryer (air fry at 380°F for 5 minutes per side). And letting the chicken rest for a while before slicing will help it retain its juiciness, so don’t rush it! See recipe card below for printable instructions.
- How to make Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing: Place all dressing ingredients in a blender or mini food processor and blend until smooth. Pour 2 tablespoons into a mixing bowl and refrigerate the rest.
- Marinade the chicken: Pound the chicken breast to a uniform thickness so it cooks evenly. Toss with dressing and marinate for 30 minutes to 8 hours.
- grill the chicken On an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan. Cook over medium-high heat for 4 to 6 minutes per side, checking for doneness with an instant-read thermometer. Once it reaches 165°F, remove the chicken from the grill and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Assemble the salad: Place all vegetables, mango and black beans in a salad bowl. Top with chicken, drizzle with dressing and garnish with cilantro.
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- Protein Options: If you’re short on time, swap out the chicken breasts for boneless, skinless thighs or rotisserie chicken. You can also use shrimp, steak, or salmon. If using seafood, marinate for only 20 minutes.
- Vegetarian: Omit the chicken and add vegetables like avocado or bell peppers.
- lettuce: Use small gemstones or spinach instead of romaine.
- Vegetable Swap: Swap red onions for shallots or cherry tomatoes for grape tomatoes. If you’re using larger tomatoes, remove the seeds before cutting. If you’re using regular cucumbers, peel them first.
- Fruit selection: If mangoes are not in season, thaw frozen mangoes. I think this salad would be delicious with pineapple or peaches.
- Not a fan of cilantro? It’s the star of the show, but you can substitute chives or parsley.
- Make it spicier: Leave the seeds and ribs on the jalapeño or substitute with serrano. You can also top your salad with diced jalapeños for extra flavor.
- Make it lighter: We recommend full-fat products, but you can also eat them with 2% Greek yogurt and light mayonnaise.
- Protein Boost: Add queso fresco cheese or cotija cheese on top.
- Add a little crunch. Try topping your salad with crushed tortilla chips.
Meal Preparation Tips
- Get ready early. Most tasks can be completed a day in advance if convenient. Grilling the chicken, making the dressing, and prepping the toppings means you have less to do on salad days.
- How to pack it: Store the chopped romaine in one large container and the chicken, vegetables, mango, and black beans in another. Store the dressing in a separate container. To assemble on the go, add toppings to a larger lettuce container and drizzle with dressing.
- save: Chicken and dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Recycle leftover food: Make chicken tacos easily by wrapping salad ingredients in a tortilla.
- Freeze Chicken Can be stored for up to 3 months, just thaw in the refrigerator overnight before eating.
More Grilled Chicken Salads You’ll Love
for more summer dinner ideasTry one of these Five Easy Grilled Chicken Salad Recipes To inspire your next meal!
produce: night soil
Serving Size: 1 Salad, about 2 ¼ cups
- 1 tightly packed cup master, leaves and smooth stems
- 1 middle jalapeño, Remove stems and seeds and chop finely.
- 2 green onion, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 1 cloves garlic
- ½ cup greek yogurt, whole milk
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- ⅔ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 pound Boneless skinless chicken breast
- 5 stacking cups chopped romaine, With 2 romaine hearts
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, bad things
- ¼ small red onion, Finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
- 3 persian cucumber, Chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 cup ripe mango, Cube, starting from 2 small ones
- 1 cup black beans, Rinse and drain
- coriander leaves, For decoration
To make the dressing, place cilantro, jalapeño, green onions, lime juice, garlic, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, and ½ teaspoon salt in a blender. Mix until completely smooth. Transfer 2 tablespoons to a mixing bowl. Cover any remaining dressing with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Gently pound the chicken breasts to create an even thickness throughout to prevent them from drying out on the grill. Season with salt. Place the chicken breasts in a mixing bowl with the prepared dressing. Mix well to combine. Cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan over medium-high heat and lightly oil the grill. Place chicken breasts evenly on grill. Cook chicken until well charred on both sides and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes per side. The internal temperature should be 165°F. Remove chicken from grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, slice it on one side.
To prepare the salad, place the romaine in a salad bowl. Top with cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, mango, and black beans. Top with sliced chicken. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and top with the cilantro leaves.
Final step:
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**1 cup of dressing
** Total salad size is approximately 9 cups.
clothing material: 1 Salad, about 2 ¼ cups, calorie: 325 calorie, carbohydrate: 31.5 g, protein: 34.5 g, province: 7.5 g, Saturated Fat: 1.5 g, Cholesterol: 88.5 mg, sodium: 316 mg, fiber: 9 g, sugar: 15.5 g
