Guys.  Its April 11th.  And it snowed today.  Again.  For what seems like the 432nd day this year.  I know, there’s not that many days in an entire year…but it seems like that’s how many days have been in our Minnesota winter alone.  ENOUGH!  While out shoveling today I decided I was going to boycott winter food at all costs this evening.  Hence, this salad.  Its light, fresh and full of so much flavor.  It will make you feel like your sitting on a beach, sipping a beautifully colored cocktail and hearing the crashing waves of the ocean.  Or not.  But its fun to dream…and it tastes pretty darn good 🙂

Although any cooked chicken will do for this recipe, below is my all time favorite way to prepare boneless chicken breasts indoors.  The pan roasting gives the chicken the most savory flavor imaginable.  Its my go-to method for so many recipes, and so simple!

Chicken, Avocado and Mango Salad

Ingredients:

For the Vinaigrette:

1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Juice of One Orange

1 Clove Garlic, grated or pressed

1 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Pepper

For the Salad:

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts + 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 Mango, Diced

1 Avocado, Diced

1/2 Cup Walnut Halves

4 Cups Greens, Chopped  *I used leafy romaine this time

Directions:

For the Vinaigrette:

Whisk all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.

For the Salad:

Preheat oven to 400 and season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.  In an oven proof skillet heat olive oil on medium high heat.  Add the chicken and cook, top side down, until you get a nice sear on top, about 4 minutes.  Flip chicken over, transfer to the oven and bake until cooked through, about 20 minutes.  Let the chicken rest for about ten minutes after taking it out of the oven so the meat can absorb all of the juices.

Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces.  Combine greens, chicken, mango, avocado and walnuts.  Drizzle the salad with half of the dressing and toss to coat.  Serve the other half of the dressing on the side.