Mango Chicken Recipe

Prep the chicken

Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs and pat them dry with paper towels. If pieces are very large, cut into 1½–2 inch pieces for even cooking.

Mince the garlic. In a bowl combine garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil (marinade), 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp ground cumin, and ½ tsp ground coriander. Stir to make a paste.

Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. Bring to room temperature for 15 minutes before cooking.

While chicken marinates, prepare the mango sauce. Reserve about ½ cup of the diced mango for garnish if desired.

In a blender or food processor combine remaining diced mango (about 1½ cups), 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp grated ginger, ¼ cup finely chopped red onion, and ¼ tsp red pepper flakes. Add 1–2 tbsp water to help blend if needed. Purée until mostly smooth but with a little texture.

Taste and adjust: add more lime for brightness, honey for sweetness, or red pepper flakes for heat. If sauce is too thin, continue to the next step to thicken slightly.

In a small bowl whisk together 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp cold water to make a slurry. Place the puréed mango sauce in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and stir in the cornstarch slurry. Cook, stirring, 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil (cooking) and 1 tbsp unsalted butter. When the butter foams and oil shimmers, add the marinated chicken in a single layer, leaving space between pieces. Do not overcrowd; cook in batches if necessary.

Sear chicken without moving 3–4 minutes until golden brown on the first side, then flip and cook another 3–4 minutes until cooked through (internal temperature 165°F / 74°C) and nicely caramelized. Total cooking time depends on piece size. Reduce heat to medium if chicken browns too quickly.

When chicken is cooked, lower heat to medium-low and pour the warm mango sauce over the chicken in the skillet. Gently toss or spoon to coat each piece and simmer 1–2 minutes to meld flavors. If sauce thickened too much, add up to 1–2 tbsp water to loosen.

Turn off heat. Sprinkle chopped cilantro and sliced green onions over the sauced chicken. Taste and add a pinch of salt or another squeeze of lime if needed.

Serve immediately with reserved diced mango and lime wedges alongside. This pairs well with steamed rice, coconut rice, or a green salad.