This easy Grilled Chicken Salad combines juicy grilled chicken, fresh vegetables, sweet mango, black beans, and a creamy cilantro lime yogurt dressing for a high-protein, high-fiber meal that’s 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, crisp romaine, cucumbers, and tomatoes, all tossed with a creamy cilantro lime dressing with Greek yogurt that adds so much flavor. The dressing also doubles as a marinade for the chicken, making every bite bright, zesty, and delicious.
Why You’ll Love This Grilled Chicken Salad Recipe
Loaded with protein, fiber, and colorful vegetables, this healthy grilled chicken salad with cilantro lime dressing is hearty enough for dinner and perfect for meal prep lunches, while still feeling light and refreshing for warm weather.
- A complete, satisfying meal: Whoever said salad doesn’t work for dinner clearly hasn’t tried one with over 34 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber!
- Great for meal prep: You can prep some components a day early, and it’s easy to pack for on-the-go meals.
- Fast: Once the chicken marinates, it cooks in under 15 minutes, making it a good option for busy weeknights.
Grilled Chicken Salad Ingredients
The creamy cilantro lime dressing serves two purposes: as a salad dressing and as a chicken marinade, adding bright, savory flavor to every bite. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are a lean source of protein. While they’re not as flavorful as thighs, the salad dressing makes them more exciting.
- Kosher salt for seasoning.
- Romaine lettuce: Chop 2 romaine hearts into small pieces.
- Vegetables: Cherry tomatoes, Persian cucumbers, red onion.
- Mango: Ripe mangoes are soft to the touch but not mushy. To cut them, you can either peel or cut off the skin. Then, stand the mango upright, slice the flesh off around the pit, and dice it. Alternatively, you can cut the mango with the skin still on. Then, slice the mango into cubes and cut it out of the skin.
- Canned black beans for protein and fiber
- Cilantro leaves for garnish
Cilantro Lime Dressing for Salad
Don’t worry about perfectly dicing all the ingredients. A rough chop works because everything gets blended anyway.
- Cilantro: Pack the leaves and tender (AKA thin) stems tightly into a 1-cup measuring cup.
- Jalapeño: Remove the stem and seeds, then roughly chop it.
- Aromatics: Green onions and garlic for flavor.
- Lime juice: The acidity brightens the dressing and tenderizes the chicken.
- Creamy ingredients: Using whole milk Greek yogurt and mayonnaise creates 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 an air fryer (air fry at 380°F for 5 minutes per side). Also, letting the chicken rest before slicing it will help it stay juicy, so don’t rush it! See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
- How to make cilantro lime salad dressing: Add all the dressing ingredients to a blender or mini food processor and blend until smooth. Pour 2 tablespoons into a mixing bowl and refrigerate the rest.
- Marinate the chicken: Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness so they cook evenly. Toss them with the dressing and let them marinate for 30 minutes to 8 hours.
- Grill the chicken on an outdoor grill or a grill pan indoors. Cook over medium-high heat for 4 to 6 minutes per side, checking for doneness with an instant-read thermometer. When it reaches 165°F, remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Assemble the salad: Add all the vegetables, mango, and black beans to a salad bowl. Top with chicken, drizzle with dressing, and garnish with cilantro.
Variations
- Protein options: Swap chicken breasts for boneless, skinless thighs or even rotisserie chicken if you’re short on time. You could also use shrimp, steak, or salmon. If using seafood, only marinate it for 20 minutes.
- Vegetarian: Omit the chicken, and add extra veggies, like avocado or bell peppers.
- Lettuce: Use little gem or spinach instead of romaine.
- Vegetable swaps: Replace red onions with shallots or cherry tomatoes with grape tomatoes. If you use a larger tomato, remove the seeds before chopping. If using a regular cucumber, peel it first.
- Fruit choices: If mango isn’t in season, thaw frozen mango. This salad would also be delish with pineapple or peaches.
- Not a cilantro fan? While it is the star of the show, you can substitute chives or parsley.
- Make it spicier: Leave the seeds and ribs in the jalapeño, or substitute it for a serrano. You can also top your salad with diced jalapeños for an extra kick.
- Make it lighter: I recommend using the full-fat products, but you can try it with 2% Greek yogurt and light mayo.
- Protein boost: Add queso fresco or cotija cheese on top.
- Add some crunch: Top your salad with crushed tortilla chips.
Meal Prep Tips
- Do the prep early: Most of the work can be done a day in advance if that’s more convenient. Grill the chicken, make the dressing, and prep some of the toppings, so there’s less work to do the day you eat the salads.
- How to pack it: Store the chopped romaine in one large container and the chicken, veggies, mango, and black beans in another. Keep the dressing in a separate container. To assemble on the go, add the toppings to the larger lettuce container and drizzle with dressing.
- Storage: The chicken and dressing will last for up to 4 days in the fridge.
- Repurpose leftovers: Wrap the salad ingredients in tortillas for easy chicken tacos.
- Freeze the chicken for up to 3 months, then thaw it in the fridge overnight before eating.
More Grilled Chicken Salads You’ll Love
For more summer dinner ideas, try one of these five simple grilled chicken salad recipes to inspire your next meal!
Yield: servings
Serving Size: 1 salad, about 2 ¼ cups
- 1 tightly packed cup cilantro, leaves and tender stems
- 1 medium jalapeño, stem and seeds removed and roughly chopped
- 2 green onions, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ cup greek yogurt, whole milk
- 1 tablespoon mayo
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 5 heaping cups chopped romaine, from 2 romaine hearts
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ small red onion, diced (about 1/4 cup)
- 3 Persian cucumbers, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 cups ripe mango, cubed, from 2 small
- 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
- Cilantro leaves, for garnish
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To make the dressing, add the cilantro, jalapeño, green onions, lime juice, garlic, greek yogurt, mayo and ½ teaspoon salt to a blender. Blend until completely smooth. Transfer 2 tablespoons into a mixing bowl. Cover the remaining dressing with plastic wrap and set aside in the fridge until ready to use.
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Pound the chicken breasts slightly to make them an even thickness throughout, this helps prevent them from drying out on the grill. Season with salt. Add the chicken breasts to the mixing bowl with the reserved dressing. Toss well to combine. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes but up to 8 hours.
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Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium high heat and lightly oil the grates. Place the chicken breast on the grill in an even layer. Cook for 4-6 minutes per side, until the chicken is nicely charred on both sides and cooked through. The internal temperature should be 165° F. Remove the chicken from the grill and rest 5 minutes. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, slice it on the bias.
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To assemble the salad, add the romaine to a salad bowl. Top with the cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumbers, mango, and black beans. Top with the sliced chicken. Drizzle the dressing on top of the salad and top with cilantro leaves.
Last Step:
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** dressing makes 1 cup
** total salad makes about 9 cups
Serving: 1 salad, about 2 ¼ cups, Calories: 325 kcal, Carbohydrates: 31.5 g, Protein: 34.5 g, Fat: 7.5 g, Saturated Fat: 1.5 g, Cholesterol: 88.5 mg, Sodium: 316 mg, Fiber: 9 g, Sugar: 15.5 g
