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    Home • Main Dishes • Latin Mango Chicken

    Latin Mango Chicken

    Published: Jun 30, 2021 · Last Modified: Jan 24, 2023 by Beyond Mere Sustenance with Leave a Comment· This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads ·

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    Latin Mango Chicken is a Latin American-inspired recipe that features a fresh mango and ají amarillo chile sauce over quick sautéed chicken breasts (or thighs) that's ready in under 30 minutes. Garnished with cotija, scallion, and cilantro, and served with cilantro rice or coconut rice, it's a healthy, quick, gluten free weeknight dish that's fancy enough for a dinner party!

    A bird's eye shot of the Latin Mango Chicken garnished with cotija, scallion, cilantro, alongside cilantro rice with lime wedges.
    Jump to:
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Tamara Talks - Recipe Inspiration
    • 🐓 What do I Love About this Latin Chicken Dish?
    • 📋 Ingredients for Latin Mango Chicken
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 💭 Tips
    • ❓ FAQ
    • 🧂 Useful Stuff
    • 🥗  What to Serve with the Chicken
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 🍗 More Easy Chicken Recipes

    👩🏻‍🍳 Tamara Talks - Recipe Inspiration

    Living in south Texas on the border, mangoes are always plentiful and fresh. Other than in salads and salsas, I tend to reserve mangoes for desserts, and sweets.

    Not long ago, I ordered a selection of interesting gourmet simmer sauces from Amazon.com that feature Peruvian ají chile peppers. I immediately tried the blood orange and ají panca sauce because I had fresh fish, and I love citrus and fish combinations.

    It was actually the mango and ají amarillo sauce that caught my eye, though. I still haven't opened the jar, but at the first opportunity, I bought some chicken breasts to start working on a Latin-inspired chicken breast recipe.

    🐓 What do I Love About this Latin Chicken Dish?

    • Start to finish, chicken in mango sauce is ready in 30 minutes or less!
    • This is a very healthy chicken dish!
    • It features fresh MANGOES in a new and exciting way.
    • It's gluten free.

    📋 Ingredients for Latin Mango Chicken

    Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.

    • chicken - In the photos, I show a pounded chicken breast. It's easier to get an evenly cooked (not dry) result. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are another excellent option!
    • mango - I use one champagne mango per 2 servings. Other mango varieties are good too. Choose a firm mango that yields slightly when pressed.
    • ají amarillo paste - Ají amarillo paste brings the heat and a very unique flavor. It is a Peruvian chile pepper, and there really is no substitute. You can certainly make your ají amarillo paste from fresh if you can find them (it's quick and easy). I can't find them in the US. You can order the chile paste from Amazon, and often find it in Latin markets.
    • garlic
    • cumin
    • shallot
    • chicken broth/stock
    • optional - I de-glaze the pan with dry sherry. White wine is another good option. Feel free to use chicken broth.
    • optional garnishes - fresh cilantro, lime wedges, crumbled cotija
    A wood cutting board with spicy mango chicken ingredients: Chicken breast, cumin, garlic, aji amarillo, shallot, and mango.

    🔪 Instructions

    2 chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper with a meat tenderizer.
    • Prepare the chicken breasts - Place chicken breast portions between 2 sheets of waxed paper. Pound gently with the meat tenderizer to a fairly even thickness between ¼" and ½". Set aside.
    Mango, shallot, and aji amarillo paste in a food processor for the mango sauce.
    • Prepare the sauce ingredients - Break down the mango, and cut the onion or shallot in chunks. Add both to the bowl of a small food processor along with the ají amarillo paste, salt, and a few grinds of pepper.
    The finished smooth, creamy mango sauce in the food processor.
    • Finish the sauce - Purée the sauce ingredients until very smooth. Check seasoning, and adjust if necessary. Set aside while you cook the chicken.
    Chicken breast portions in a red cast iron skilled being sauteed.
    • Cook the chicken breast - Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Over medium-high heat, brown both sides of the chicken in a drizzle of neutral oil (like canola or grape seed), being careful to not overcook. Chicken juices should run clear. Set chicken on a paper towel lined plate and cover with foil.
    Garlic and cumin in the cast iron skillet with dry sherry for the creamy mango sauce.
    • Sauté the cumin and garlic in the same pan, adding additional oil if needed. De-glaze with sherry, white wine, or chicken broth, scraping the pan to loosen the browned bits. Reduce liquid by about half.
    Mango sauce is added to sherry and aromatics in the cast iron skillet.
    • Stir the mango sauce into the reduced liquid and spice mixture. Thoroughly combine. The sauce should be somewhat thick. If it's too thick, add some broth.
    The completed spicy mango sauce in a red cast iron skillet.
    • Bring sauce up to a low boil.
    Chicken in mango cream sauce in a cast iron skillet with lime wedges.
    • Add the chicken breast back into the pan, spoon sauce over it. Turn off the heat, and cover until ready to serve (just keep it warm). Don't continue to cook it! Before serving, squeeze half a lime over top. Garnish with cilantro, scallion, and crumbled cotija as desired. Enjoy!
    2 oval cast iron dishes with chicken in creamy mango sauce and cilantro rice, black flatware, and print napkin.
    Spicy Mango serving suggestion!

    💭 Tips

    Make the mango sauce and prepare the chicken breast in advance. The dish comes together in about 10 minutes, making it a great recipe for entertaining.

    A good rule of thumb: Use 1 mango per 2 servings, and 6 ounces of chicken breast per serving. Large chicken breasts are often large enough that when pounded, can be cut into 2 portions.

    I often have frozen ají amarillo peppers in my freezer, and make this ají amarillo paste rather than using store bought.

    ❓ FAQ

    Is chicken in mango sauce good leftover?

    To be perfectly honest? I don't think so. The appeal to this dish is its simple, fresh flavor, and how quickly it comes together. Of course you can re-heat it for lunch the next day, but I try to prepare 1 serving per diner.

    🧂 Useful Stuff

    These are few items that I recommend that are related to this recipe, and either the same brand or similar to what I use in my own kitchen!

    Inca's Food Aji Amarillo Paste
    KitchenAid Gourmet Meat Tenderizer
    Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Food Processor

    🥗  What to Serve with the Chicken

    • cilantro rice
    • coconut rice
    • red rice
    • tomato and tomatillo salad
    • Mexican sweet potato salad
    • Peruvian quinoa salad
    • quinoa a la Mexicana

    When summer hits hard (as it certainly has in 2021), we need a few healthy, super quick and easy chicken recipes. This is one of our favorites, and I do hope you'll give it a try!

    Signature in red and green with chiles and limes. Healthyish Latin cuisine.

    📖 Recipe

    A cast iron dish with chicken in mango sauce, cilantro rice, black flatware, and print napkin.

    Latin Mango Chicken

    Tamara Andersen
    A simple sauteed chicken breast bathed in a fresh mango and ají amarillo chile paste... It's so fresh, very healthy, and comes together in less than 30 minutes!
    5 from 1 vote
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    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Main Dishes
    Cuisine Latin
    Servings 2 servings
    Calories 354 kcal

    Ingredients

    • 12 ounces boneless - skinless chicken breast
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt and fresh ground pepper
    • 1 tablespoon neutral oil - grape seed or canola
    • 1 mango - peeled, seed removed, cut in chunks
    • 1 tablespoon ají amarillo paste +/-
    • 1 shallot - or ½ red onion, cut in chunks
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon minced garlic - about 2 cloves
    • ½ cup sherry - white wine, or chicken broth (to de-glaze)
    • ½ cup chicken broth

    Instructions

    • Prepare the chicken breasts - Place chicken breast portions between 2 sheets of waxed paper. Pound gently with the meat tenderizer to a fairly even thickness between ¼" and ½". Set aside.
    • Make the sauce -
      Add mango, ají amarillo paste, shallot, and sea salt to the food processor. Blend until smooth, and set aside.
    • Cook the chicken breast - Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Over medium-high heat, brown both sides of the chicken in the oil, being careful to not overcook. Set chicken on a paper towel lined plate, and cover with foil.
    • Sauté the cumin and garlic in the same pan, adding additional oil if needed. De-glaze with sherry, white wine, or chicken broth, scraping the pan to loosen the browned bits. Reduce liquid by about half.
    • Finish the sauce -
      Stir the mango mixture into the reduced liquid and spice mixture. Thoroughly combine. The sauce should be somewhat thick. If it's too thick, add some broth. Bring sauce up to a 
      low boil
      .
    • Finish and serve - Add the chicken breast back into the pan, spoon sauce over it. Turn off the heat, and cover until ready to serve (just keep it warm). Don't continue to cook it! Before serving, squeeze half a lime over top. Garnish with cilantro, scallion, and crumbled cotija as desired. Enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 9g

    NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.

    Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and/or star rating! Email us with any questions: tamara@beyondmeresustenance.com

    🍗 More Easy Chicken Recipes

    • Easy Mexican Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters
    • Grilled Tajín Chicken
    • Pollo Saltado
    • Rotisserie Chicken Tacos with Slaw

    More Healthy and Healthyish Main Dish Recipes

    • Spicy Gochujang Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
    • Peruvian Beef Stew (Seco de Carne)
    • Spanish Stuffed Mini Peppers
    • Creamy Green Chile Chicken Soup

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