Thai Mango Chicken Salad

My mother-in-law makes the BEST salads. She is the Queen of salad-making. So when she mentioned that she had a good recipe for a Thai Mango Chicken Salad, I knew we were in for a treat.
This is definitely a main-course salad. It stands on its own two feet without being some type of appetizer for another meal. I paired it with fresh bread and white wine and it was the perfect light meal.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanuts

2 firm, but ripe mangoes 

1 large sweet red pepper (could also use yellow, orange, or combination)

2 carrots, coarsely grated

6 cups mixed greens torn (I like spring mix or “baby spinach”)

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh mint

4 cooked chicken breasts, chopped or shredded (could also use pork or shrimp)

Dressing Ingredients:

1/4 cup vegetable oil 

1 tsp grated lime rind

2 TBSP fresh squeezed lime juice

1 TBSP fish sauce or soy sauce

2 tsp granulated sugar

1 tsp minced hot pepper OR 1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce

1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In skillet toast peanuts over medium heat until fragrant and dark golden (about 8 minutes) and then set aside.
2. Peel, pit and thinly slice mangoes lengthwise. Seed, core and thinly slice red pepper
3. Mix together mangoes, red pepper, carrots, mixed greens, green onions and mint.
4. In a large bowl, wisk together oil, lime rind, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, hot pepper, salt and pepper.

Toss the salad with dressing to taste, then sprinkle with toasted peanuts. This recipe serves 4 for a main course salad.