I promise you’ll fall in love with this mango chicken recipe: chicken marinated in mango vinegar, griddled and served with a bright, fruity mango salsa. Pure chicken-and-mango delight.
I’ve recently fallen for using mango in savoury dishes after trying a mango and turkey stir-fry. Mango brings a fresh sweetness that lifts salads, salsas and pairs beautifully with white meat.
One ingredient that’s become a favourite is mango vinegar — a blend of vinegar and mango puree. It has a sharp tang from the vinegar balanced by mango sweetness and a gorgeous orange hue. I like to marinate chicken or turkey in it with a little olive oil before cooking on a griddle. That’s exactly how this recipe started.
Making a homemade salsa always feels like a sign of changing seasons. Even if the weather is still cool, this salsa will be a barbecue staple once we can grill outdoors again. The combination of sweet mango, ripe red tomatoes, crisp cucumber and fresh coriander, finished with a splash of mango vinegar, tastes like summer in a bowl.
This recipe was created for the Maille Culinary Challenge and uses Maille mango vinegar, but you don’t need a specific brand to make it work. Maille are well known for their gourmet mustards, and while mustard is great in cooking, the mango vinegar offered something different that I wanted to try — and I’m delighted with the result.
What if you can’t find mango vinegar?
If mango vinegar isn’t available where you are, you can make a simple substitute at home. Blend equal parts ripe mango and white wine vinegar until smooth. Store the mixture in an airtight bottle in the fridge for up to a week and shake well before using. If you prefer, use mango puree mixed into white wine vinegar instead of fresh mango.
Can you adapt this mango chicken recipe?
Yes. The recipe is a straightforward template for marinated, griddled chicken with fresh salsa. Try different fruit-infused vinegars if you find them — strawberry, peach or citrus vinegar would work well. You can also swap the chicken for turkey or use the same salsa with grilled fish.
More serving suggestions
This chicken is lovely with steamed basmati rice, tossed with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon. You can also slice the cooked chicken and serve it in a wrap, dice it and fold it into a rice or pasta salad, or serve alongside a green salad for a lighter meal.
More recipes you might like
If you love mango, try a mango sorbet — a refreshing dessert that was a favourite last summer. For other simple chicken dishes using vibrant marinades, consider harissa chicken salad, Thai BBQ chicken, or chicken tikka.
Recipe
Mango Chicken Recipe with Mango Salsa
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
Ingredients for the Marinade
- 4 tablespoons mango vinegar (or homemade blend of mango and white wine vinegar)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of black pepper
Mango Salsa Ingredients
- 1 mango, diced
- 4 tomatoes, chopped
- 20 cm cucumber, diced
- 1–2 red chilli peppers, finely chopped (adjust to taste)
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
- 3 tablespoons mango vinegar
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Mix all the marinade ingredients. Butterfly the chicken breasts by slicing horizontally through each breast almost to the other side so they open flat. Place the breasts in the marinade, coat well and leave for at least 30 minutes (or refrigerate overnight).
- Prepare the salsa by chopping the mango, tomatoes, cucumber and chilli. Combine in a bowl with the mango vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside to allow the flavours to meld.
- Heat a griddle pan and brush with a little oil. Grill the marinated chicken over high heat for about 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until cooked through and nicely charred.
- Serve the chicken with the mango salsa and drizzle a little extra mango vinegar if you like. This goes well with basmati rice tossed with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon.