Grilled mushroom, chicken and papaya salad

Grilled mushroom, chicken, and papaya salad is a vibrant and nutritious dish that combines juicy grilled chicken with meaty portobello mushrooms, ripe papaya, and fresh greens.

The combination of sweet and savoury flavours, along with the satisfying crunch of the greens and the tender texture of the chicken and mushrooms, make this salad a standout option for lunch or dinner.

Recipe compliments of The South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association.

Ingredients

• 400g portabello mushrooms, sliced thickly
• 2 small chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
• 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
• ½ cup fresh coriander leaves
• ½ cup fresh mint leaves
• 1 small papaya, peeled, deseeded and sliced
• 4 Tbsp roasted peanuts, salted, chopped
• 1 small red chilli, sliced

Dressing:

• 1-2 red chillies (depending on how hot you like it), finely chopped
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp brown sugar or palm sugar
• Zest and juice of 2 limes
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

For the dressing:

1. In a small bowl combine all the dressing ingredients.
2. Whisk to mix well.
3. Taste to adjust seasoning and set aside.

For the chicken:

1. Heat a large griddle pan on high heat.
2. Toss the mushrooms with a drizzle of olive oil and then place on the griddle pan.
3. Press them down with a metal spatula to get nice grill marks.
4. Cook until just tender and retain some bite.
5. In a large serving bowl combine the chicken, cucumber, coriander, mint and papaya.
6. Add the grilled mushrooms.
7. Drizzle everything with a little dressing and toss gently to combine.
8. Scatter with the roasted peanuts and sliced chilli.
9. Serve with extra dressing on the side and enjoy!