Warm chicken, avocado and mango salad

Ingredients

• 500g chicken things, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tbspn lemon pepper seasoning, I use Masterfoods
• 1 lemon, squeezed
• 1 tbspn olive oil
• 2 ripe avocados, sliced finely
• 2 ripe mangoes, cut into cubes
• 2 large handfuls rocket, washed
• 2 tbson fresh mint, torn roughly

Dressing

• 1 tspn mild mustard
• 1 tbspn honey
• 2 tbspn balsamic vinegar
• å_ cup vegetable oil

Method

In a bowl, mix together the chicken pieces, lemon juice, olive oil and lemon pepper seasoning. Allow to marinate in the fridge for 1-2 hours.

To make the dressing, mix together all the ingredients in a small container with a lid. Close and then shake well to combine.

Heat barbecue or frying pan until hot then add the chicken pieces. Cook for four minutes on one side and then turn over and continue cooking until they are completely cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.

On a serving platter, scatter the washed rocket and mint, then the mango and avocado. Using salad utensils, toss lightly then add the chicken pieces and a little of the dressing. Toss again and serve immediately.

Notes

• I love lemon pepper seasoning – particularly on cheese melts – so I have this permanently in my pantry. If you don’t have it, or want to buy it, use a teaspoon of finely grated lemon rind instead, along with 1/2 tspn of fresshly ground pepper and a generous pinch of salt.
• If you leave the chicken to marinate longer than 1-2 hours, you may find that the chicken appears ‘cooked’ before you’ve put it on the heat. This is just the action of the lemon on the chicken. Rest assured, the cooked chicken will still taste the same regardless of how long you marinate it.
• The easiest way to cut the mango cubes is by slicing off the cheeks of the mango and then cutting the flesh into squares down to the skin. Then all you have to do is use a desertspoon to gently scoop the cubes out from the skin.
• This is a fantastic salad to serve when you have guests. It is a whole meal on one plate, looks really pretty, you can do most of the work ahead of time and it really tastes of summer. Gorgeous!
• This recipe was created by Ella Walsh for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.