Salsa Verde Pepper Jack Chicken Salad With Mango Dressing

I know Facebook and Pinterest are already full of pumpkin recipes but when it is still this hot outside, bring on all the salad recipes! And you are going to want – nay – crave, this Salsa Verde Pepper Jack Chicken Salad recipe. (Note I have a Salsa Verde Chicken Salad video coming soon, so check back and I just updated my Cobb Salad, Chinese Chicken Salad and Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Salad recipes to include videos – so check them out!) After I posted my Salsa Verde Chicken Recipe, I knew it was begging to be made into a salad. Aside from it’s bright, tangy, kickin’ flavor, the fact that my salsa verde chicken recipe is made with just 3 ingredients (salsa verde, olive oil, and chicken) means you are going to want to find all sorts off uses for it, and my favorite yet is this Salsa Verde Chicken Salad!

NOTES ABOUT CHICKEN SALAD RECIPE

Customize. This Salsa Verde Chicken Salad can be customized to include more or less of your favorite ingredients, but please don’t skip the clementines – their sweet juiciness was made to compliment the zesty salsa verde chicken. Add In Ideas. You can add black beans, tomatoes, jicama, etc. – it is all about making it YOUR favorite Chicken Salad. You can also swap the sunflower seeds for cashews, pepitas or macadamia nuts or even tortilla chips/strips – but make sure there is some sort of salty crunch element. Cheeeese. You can substitute the Pepper Jack Cheese for Monterrey if you don’t like any heat or if that’s what you have on hand. Rotisserie Chicken. If you are desperate for time – and this chicken salad – then add salsa verde to some shredded rotisserie chicken. You will be amazed at how much flavor it can drink up! Scale to your Needs. This Salsa Verde Chicken Salad Recipe makes enough for a family meal, but you can easily half the recipe if you prefer. That being said, this salad makes wonderful prep ahead/portable lunches/dinners so I wouldn’t worry too much about leftovers. Mango Dressing. If you are intimidated by cutting mangos – don’t be, just check out my How to Cut A Mango Post that teaches everything you could ever want to know about mangos.

Looking for more Chicken Salad Recipes?

Chipotle Chicken Salad with Honey Lime Mango Dressing Caprese Chicken Salad with Creamy Balsamic Reduction Dressing Buffalo Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese Cilantro Ranch Chipotle BBQ Chicken Salad with Tomatillo Avocado Ranch Teriyaki Chicken Salad with Pineapple Sesame Dressing Greek Chicken Salad with Tzatziki Dressing and Pita Croutons

MANGO SALAD DRESSING

I am a huge fan of salsa verde and mango together. They are a ying and yang match made in culinary heaven; the salsa verde with its robust, zesty tanginess and the mango with its refreshing, cool, juicy sweetness. I love this heavenly combo so much I’ve even posted a Chicken in Coconut Mango Verde Sauce and have a Verde Mango Coconut Soup coming soon. So when I was brainstorming what would be the perfect dressing to adorn this Salsa Verde Chicken Salad – I knew it had to be Mango Dressing. The Mango Dressing is wonderfully creamy, sweet and tangy – and takes minutes to make. It is a quick blending of:

1 chopped ripe mango ¼ cup vanilla yogurt 1 tablespoons salsa verde 3 tablespoons cider vinegar 1/3 cup canola oil

You can use more salsa verde if you want a punchier, spicier dressing or add a dash of red pepper flakes. If you would like a tangier dressing, feel free to add additional apple cider vinegar. Keep in mind that dressings always taste WAY better chilled. So make your Mango Dressing first so it has time to chill in the refrigerator while you prep the rest of your ingredients. When ready to serve, rather than taste the Mango Dressing with a spoon, dip a lettuce leaf in the dressing because this will give you a more accurate read.

Meal Prep Chicken Salad

If you want to make this chicken salad ahead of time, you can completely assemble the salad with the exception of the avocados and the dressing. The remaining ingredients will hold up very well in a sealed container in the refrigerator. If you want to extend the life of the salad even longer, then keep your salad ingredients storerd in separate, bags/sealable containers in the refrigerator. When ready to serve treat them like a salad bar to create your on-demand servings or toss them together. The Mango Dressing stores beautifully for 5-7 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You may need to stir in some water before serving as it will thicken slightly in the refrigerator.