Mango Cashew Chicken Salad (with Sesame-Ginger Dressing)

Juicy mango, crunchy cashews and tender chicken tossed through crisp lettuce with a punchy sesame-ginger dressing — fresh, fast, and properly satisfying.

Ingredients

• 350g chicken (breast or thigh), sliced into 1.5cm strips
• 6 cups lettuce, torn (about 150–200g)
• 1 large mango, diced
• 1 cup grapes, halved
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1/2 capsicum (bell pepper), thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup cashews, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp oil (olive or neutral)
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds (extra, optional but great)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (pantry staple)
• 1 tbsp vinegar (rice vinegar preferred; white vinegar is fine)
• 1 tsp honey or sugar (pantry staple)
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• Salt and pepper

Method

• 1

  Step 1: Toast the crunch

  In a dry pan over medium heat, toast cashews for 2–3 minutes, shaking often, until lightly golden and fragrant. Tip into a bowl. Toast sesame seeds for 30–60 seconds until they start popping and smell nutty; set aside.

• 2

  Step 2: Cook the chicken

  Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same pan over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Sear for 3–4 minutes, then toss/stir and cook another 2–3 minutes until browned and just cooked through (juices run clear; no pink). Remove from heat.

• 3

  Step 3: Make the dressing

  In a small bowl, whisk oil, soy sauce, vinegar, honey/sugar, ginger, garlic, and a pinch of pepper. Taste and adjust: more vinegar for zing, more honey for balance, a pinch of salt if needed.

• 4

  Step 4: Build the salad

  In a large bowl, combine lettuce, mango, grapes, tomato, and capsicum. Add warm chicken (or let it cool 5 minutes if you prefer).

• 5

  Step 5: Dress and finish

  Pour over dressing and toss gently just until glossy (don’t crush the mango). Scatter over toasted cashews and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Tips

• **Best chicken texture:** Don’t overcrowd the pan — cook in two batches if needed so it browns instead of steaming.
• **Sweeter vs brighter:** If your mango isn’t very sweet, add a little extra honey/sugar to the dressing. If it’s super ripe, add an extra splash of vinegar.
• **Swap nuts:** Walnuts work too (toast them the same way), but cashews are especially good with mango.
• **Make-ahead:** Chop salad components and keep dressing separate. Toss just before serving for maximum crunch.

Nutrition (per serving, estimate)