Mango Chicken Salad Sandwich

This Mango Chicken Salad Sandwich is quick and easy to make, and loaded with sweet, spicy and slightly tangy flavors! Load up this tasty chicken salad in a sandwich with your favorite toppings for an easy light lunch. It’s naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and perfect for meal prep!

this recipe

Happy January everyone, and Happy New Year!

I hope you guys had a wonderful celebration with your loved ones last week. May this year bring you good luck, health, wealth, and of course, lots of good and delicious food! 🤗

Since it’s January and lots of people are all about the “new year, new me” thing, I thought I’d kick off this year with a healthy (or healthy-ish) and easy recipe.

Meet my new favorite lunch – this Mango Chicken Salad Sandwich!

This simple but delicious chicken salad came about as a result of having some leftover mango mayonnaise after making my Crispy Prawns with Spicy Mango Mayonnaise a few weeks ago. And I’m really glad I did, because I’m obsessed with all the bright and vibrant flavors in this mango chicken salad!

It’s:

• Quick and easy to make. We’re talking 30-35 minutes tops! 🙌
• Spicy, sweet, and has just the right amount of tanginess! 😋
• Creamy. Thanks to mayonnaise, which is possibly my favorite condiment on this planet! ❤️
• Bright and fresh! It’s loaded with fresh herbs like coriander and spring onion (scallion)! 🌿
• Flexible. You can add any of your favorite nuts, seeds, and herbs to the chicken salad. And you can use whatever type of bread and sandwich toppings that you like. 👍
• Versatile. Who says you gotta make a sandwich only?! You can have it in lettuce cups, on salads, and in tortilla wraps too!
• Great for meal prep. 👌
• Downright delicious! 😍

Let’s make some!

MANGO CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH INGREDIENTS

To make this easy chicken salad and sandwich, you’ll need…

• Chicken: Cooked and cubed. I seasoned some chicken breasts with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Then I baked them in the oven and cut them into cubes. But feel free to use a some shredded rotisserie chicken for a short cut, or any cooked leftover chicken you have in your fridge or freezer. Be sure to thaw overnight in the fridge if using leftover cooked frozen chicken.
• Spicy Mango Mayonnaise: You’ll need diced fresh mango, mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt if you want to make this lighter), ground cayenne, crushed red chili pepper flakes, kosher salt, turmeric powder (optional, but I highly recommend it because it adds a little something extra to the taste and color!), and some freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• Fresh Herbs: I used chopped fresh coriander and spring onion (scallion). But feel free to use any other herbs you like.
• Seeds/Nuts (optional): I didn’t add any into the mango chicken salad this time. But feel free to add any of your favorites if you like.
• For the sandwiches: Bread of your choice (I used a 10 cereal bagel in the pictures here), and your favorite sandwich toppings – lettuce/salad greens, sliced tomato, onion, cucumber, etc.

HOW TO MAKE MANGO CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH

Alright! Let’s break it down and make this delicious Mango Chicken Salad Sandwich! Simply…

Make the Juicy Baked Chicken

1. Preheat your oven to 175°C/350°F. Line a baking tray with a sheet of aluminum foil and brush lightly with olive oil (or any other cooking oil you prefer).
2. Clean and pat-dry your chicken breasts. Then use a pastry brush them with a bit of olive oil so that the seasonings can stick to the chicken. The oil also helps to keep them juicy during baking. Season with kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder.
3. Then place them on the foil lined baking tray and bake for 20-22 minutes, turning once halfway through.
4. Remove the baking tray from the oven and let the chicken rest for 10-12 minutes to lock in all the juices. Then transfer to a chopping board and cut into cubes.

Make the Spicy Mango Mayonnaise:

While the chicken is baking, you can make the spicy mango mayonnaise. Add diced mango to a mini blender and blend until smooth. Then transfer the mango puree to a bowl and add mayonnaise (feel free to use low-fat mayo or Greek yogurt if you like), ground cayenne, crushed red chili pepper flakes, kosher salt, turmeric powder (optional, but I highly recommend it!), and lemon juice. Mix with a spoon until evenly combined and set aside.

Make the Mango Chicken Salad Sandwich:

1. Make the Mango Chicken Salad: Combine the chicken cubes, 5-6 tablespoons of the Spicy Mango Mayonnaise (use more or less as desired), chopped fresh coriander and spring onion in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add any additional herbs, seeds, and/or nuts (if using) and mix with a spoon until everything has evenly combined.
2. To Serve: Serve in a sandwich with your favorite sandwich toppings and enjoy!

I used a toasted 10 cereal bagel (don’t judge if you’re in the anti-toasting-bagel camp – you do you, I’ll do me. 😉) , some mayo, mixed salad greens, and cucumber slices here in the pictures. But you can also serve up this mango chicken salad in some delicious tortilla wraps, on salads, and in lettuce cups all throughout the week.

Full ingredient amounts/instructions in the recipe card below.

STORING & LEFTOVERS

Store any leftover chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume within 3-4 days. The spicy mango mayonnaise can be stored in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. If you prefer not to have any leftover mango mayonnaise, I recommend making this chicken salad with 800 grams / about 1.76 pounds chicken breasts as the mango mayonnaise ingredient amounts makes enough for two batches of the Mango Chicken Salad.

Alternatively, you can use the leftover mango mayonnaise to make this Crispy Prawns with Spicy Mango Mayonnaise for a delicious and easy Cantonese-inspired seafood dinner!

VARIATIONS

If you would like to customize the mango chicken salad, you can…

• Make it lighter and healthier: Swap the full fat mayo for low fat mayo or Greek yogurt.
• Make it dairy-free: No changes needed! But if you want to make it healthier, be sure to use a dairy-free Greek yogurt.
• Use rotisserie chicken: To make this quick chicken salad even quicker, feel free to use shredded rotisserie chicken instead of making the juicy baked chicken cubes.
• Make it milder: Not big on spice? No problem! Just adjust the amount of crushed red chili pepper flakes and ground cayenne in the mango mayonnaise to suit your taste.
• Make it gluten-free: No changes needed to the chicken salad. It is naturally gluten-free! But just be sure to use a gluten-free bread/tortilla if you need to follow a GF diet.
• Add additional/different fresh herbs: Chopped fresh chives, Italian basil leaves, mint leaves, etc. would all taste great in this mango chicken salad!
• Add seeds/nuts: Add sesame seeds, pepitas, slivered or sliced almonds, pine nuts, chopped walnuts, etc. if desired.

I’ve actually started sprinkling my mango chicken salad sandwiches with Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend (not pictured here). And good god, it tastes absolutely fantastic! I love the extra savory crunch that the black and white sesame seeds and sea salt add to the chicken salad! You can find the seasoning blend in the spice aisle at Trader Joe’s. Or if you’re like me and there’s no Trader Joe’s near where you live, you can order it online from Amazon.

MORE EASY AND HEALTHY LUNCH RECIPES

Looking for more delicious light lunch recipes this month and a healthy start to the new year? Below are my favorites and go-tos for lunch meal prep!

• Sweet & Spicy Thai Chicken Salad
• Spicy Asian-Cajun Chicken Salad Croissandwich (A flavor BOMB fusion chicken salad enveloped in a buttery and flaky croissant! But you can totally have it in whole wheat bread too to make it healthier. 😉)
• Herby Egg Salad Tartines (great for lunch or brunch!)
• Chili Chicken Lettuce Cups
• Spicy Mexican Shredded Chicken (great for sandwiches, in a Mexican salad bowl, and wraps in addition to the typical tacos, quesadillas, and enchiladas!)

MADE THIS RECIPE? If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how you liked it! Take a photo and tag it with @thatspicychick on Instagram and hashtag it #thatspicychick and I’ll be sure to share your masterpiece!

Mango Chicken Salad Sandwich

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This Mango Chicken Salad Sandwich is quick and easy to make, and loaded with sweet, spicy and slightly tangy flavors! Load up this tasty chicken salad in a sandwich with your favorite toppings for an easy light lunch. It’s naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and perfect for meal prep!

• Author: Lavina
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 20
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x
• Category: Lunch
• Method: Bake and Mix
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Juicy Baked Chicken:

• 2 Chicken Breasts (about 400 grams / 0.88 pounds), boneless, skinless – cleaned and pat-dried with paper towels
• 1 TSP Kosher Salt
• ½ TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper
• ½ TSP Paprika
• ½ TSP Garlic Powder
• 1 TBLS Olive Oil (or any cooking oil you prefer) – for brushing on the foil and chicken breasts

For the Spicy Mango Mayonnaise:

• ½ cup diced Mango – pureed
• ¼ cup Mayonnaise (feel free to use low fat mayonnaise if you prefer)
• ½ – ¾ TSP ground Cayenne, to taste
• ½ – ¾ TSP crushed Red Chili Pepper Flakes, to taste
• 1/8 TSP (A pinch) Kosher Salt, to taste
• ½ TSP Turmeric powder (optional)
• 3/4 TSP freshly squeezed Lemon Juice

For the Mango Chicken Salad:

• 1 Spring Onion (Scallion) – chopped
• 1 TBLS chopped fresh Coriander
• Other optional herbs: chopped fresh chives, Italian basil leaves, mint leaves, etc.
• Optional seeds/nuts: sesame seeds, pepitas, slivered or sliced almonds, pine nuts, chopped walnuts

For the Sandwiches:

• Spoonfuls of the Mango Chicken Salad
• Your choice of bread and sandwich toppings – lettuce/salad greens, sliced tomato, onion, cucumber, etc.
• Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning (optional, but soooo delicious!)

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Instructions

For the Juicy Baked Chicken:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C/350°F. Line a baking tray with a sheet of aluminum foil and brush lightly with olive oil (or any other cooking oil you prefer).
2. In a large bowl, add the kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Mix with a spoon or use a small whisk to combine the spices and seasonings until fully integrated.
3. Brush olive oil on the chicken breasts then dip them into the bowl and rub with the seasonings and spices until they are fully coated. (The oil helps to keep the chicken juicy during baking and allows the seasonings to better stick to the chicken breasts.)
4. Place the chicken breasts (plump side up) on the foil lined baking tray and bake for 20-22 minutes, turning once using tongs halfway through.
5. Remove the baking tray from the oven and let the chicken rest for 10-12 minutes to lock in all the juices. Transfer the chicken breasts to a chopping board, making sure to let any extra liquid/juices drip onto the foil before placing them on the board. Cut into cubes with a sharp knife and set aside.

For the Spicy Mango Mayonnaise:

1. While the chicken is baking, make the Spicy Mango Mayonnaise. Add the diced mango to a mini blender and blend until smooth. (You may need to uncover and mix with a spoon, then cover and blend again to puree completely.)
2. Transfer the mango puree to a medium bowl and add mayonnaise, ground cayenne, crushed red chili pepper flakes, kosher salt, turmeric powder (if using), and lemon juice. Mix with a spoon until evenly combined. Then transfer to an airtight jar, cover and store in the fridge until needed.

For the Mango Chicken Salad Sandwich:

1. Make the Mango Chicken Salad: Combine the chicken cubes, 5-6 tablespoons of the Spicy Mango Mayonnaise (use more or less as desired), chopped fresh coriander, and chopped spring onion in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add any additional herbs, seeds, or nuts if using and mix with a spoon until everything has fully combined.
2. To Serve: Serve in sandwiches with your favorite sandwich bread and toppings like lettuce/mixed salad greens, sliced tomatoes, onion, cucumber, etc. Or enjoy it in tortilla wraps, lettuce cups, or on top of salads! (See notes below to make a Mango Chicken Salad Bagel Sandwich).

Equipment

Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend

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Baking Tray

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Large Mixing Bowl

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Aluminum Foil

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Turmeric powder

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Notes

1. To make a Mango Chicken Salad Bagel Sandwich: I made a bagel sandwich in the pictures here. To make the same bagel sandwich, cut your choice of bagel (mine was a 10 cereal bagel that day) in half using a serrated bread knife. Toast in a toaster or oven for a few minutes if desired. Spread full fat mayonnaise (I love Kraft’s) on the inner side of each bagel half. Place mixed salad greens or lettuce on top of the bottom bagel half and top with spoonfuls of the Mango Mayonnaise Chicken Salad and fresh cucumber slices. (Feel free to add any of your favorite sandwich toppings such as sliced tomato, onion, etc.). Close with the top half of the bagel, slice the bagel sandwich in half (if your bagel is as big as mine was), and enjoy!
2. Storing & Leftovers: Store any leftover chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume within 3-4 days. The spicy mango mayonnaise can be stored in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. If you prefer not to have any leftover mango mayonnaise, I recommend making this chicken salad with 800 grams / about 1.76 pounds chicken breasts as the mango mayonnaise ingredient amounts makes enough for two batches of the Mango Chicken Salad. Alternatively, you can use the leftover mango mayonnaise to make this Crispy Prawns with Spicy Mango Mayonnaise for a delicious and easy Cantonese-inspired seafood dinner!
3. Make it lighter and healthier: Swap the full fat mayo for low fat mayo or Greek yogurt.
4. Make it dairy-free: No changes needed! But if you want to make it healthier, be sure to use a dairy-free Greek yogurt.
5. Use rotisserie chicken: To make this quick chicken salad even quicker, use shredded rotisserie chicken instead of the juicy baked chicken cubes.
6. Make it milder: Adjust the amount of crushed red chili pepper flakes and ground cayenne in the mango mayonnaise to suit your taste.
7. Make it gluten-free: No changes needed to the chicken salad. It is naturally gluten-free! Just be sure to use a gluten-free bread/tortilla to serve it in if you need to follow a GF diet.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 161
• Sugar: 3.1g
• Sodium: 444.7mg
• Fat: 14.3g
• Saturated Fat: 2.2g
• Unsaturated Fat: 11.5g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 4.8g
• Fiber: 0.9g
• Protein: 3.8g
• Cholesterol: 16.1mg

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