Chipotle Mango Chicken Recipe

Prepare and rub

Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. If breasts are very thick, butterfly or pound to even thickness (~1/2 inch). In a small bowl combine smoked paprika, chipotle powder, ground cumin, brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Drizzle the chicken with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then rub the spice mix evenly over both sides of each breast. Let rest at room temperature for 10–15 minutes (or refrigerate up to 2 hours).

Cook chicken

Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. When the pan is hot, add the chicken and cook 4–6 minutes per side until nicely browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C). Remove chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

While chicken rests, dice the mango into roughly 1/2-inch pieces. Finely chop the red onion, mince the jalapeño, and roughly chop the cilantro. In a bowl combine mango, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, minced chipotle in adobo (or chipotle powder), 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Taste and adjust salt, lime, or chipotle for sweetness and heat. Let sit 5–10 minutes to meld flavors.

Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve under cold water until water runs clear. In a small saucepan combine rinsed quinoa and 2 cups water (or broth) with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 12–15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Adjust seasoning if needed.

Trim and cut vegetables into bite-size pieces (halve cherry tomatoes, slice zucchini and peppers). Toss vegetables with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender and lightly charred—about 6–8 minutes depending on vegetables. For quick-cooking items (e.g., asparagus tips or cherry tomatoes) add them later so all finish together.

Slice the rested chicken. Divide lemon quinoa among 4 plates. Arrange seasonal vegetables alongside the quinoa, then fan sliced chipotle mango chicken over the quinoa. Spoon several tablespoons of chipotle mango salsa over the chicken and serve additional salsa on the side. Slice the avocado and arrange on the plate or fan over the vegetables. Garnish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges. Serve warm.