Chicken Mango Recipe

Prepare and marinate chicken

Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and pat dry. In a medium bowl combine yogurt, lime juice, minced garlic, grated ginger, ground cumin, paprika, salt, black pepper and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Whisk until smooth. Add chicken to the marinade and turn to coat completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours (longer for more flavor).

Make mango components

Peel and dice the ripe mango. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of mango and mash or puree it smooth (for the pan sauce). Chop the remaining mango into small dice to equal about 1 cup. In a bowl combine diced mango, red bell pepper, red onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice, honey, sea salt and minced jalapeño if using. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Sear and finish chicken

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off. Add chicken to the pan without crowding; cook 4–5 minutes per side (for 1/2"–3/4" thick thighs) until deeply golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C). If pieces are thick, lower heat to medium and cook an additional 3–5 minutes covered. Transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil to rest 5 minutes.

Make quick pan sauce

With the skillet still over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon butter and scrape up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Pour in 1/4 cup white wine or chicken stock to deglaze, simmer 1–2 minutes. Stir in the reserved 2 tablespoons mango puree, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and swirl in a little extra butter if desired. Spoon sauce over the rested chicken.

Divide cooked rice or greens among 4 plates (about 3/4 cup rice per serving if serving 4). Place a chicken thigh on each bed of rice or greens. Top each piece with 2–3 tablespoons of the mango salsa and drizzle with pan sauce if using. Garnish with extra cilantro and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over the chicken. Serve immediately.