Easy Mango Grilled Chicken
This Mango Grilled Chicken showcases juicy chicken breast glazed in a mango fruit sauce. With this easy recipe, you’ll pack delicious tropical fruit flavors into mouthwatering grilled chicken breasts. Perfect for summertime gatherings and cookouts.
If you’re concerned about drying out grilled chicken breasts, the solution is this grilled mango chicken recipe. The key is brining then basting. First, you’ll tenderize the chicken in a brining solution. From there, you’ll make a sweet and spicy glaze to baste over the chicken as it grills.
You’re going to love how simple this dish is. Mango and chicken is a sweet and savory match made in flavor heaven. It’s excellent served with fluffy rice and grilled vegetables, but it’s honestly delicious with just about anything! 🙂
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The flavor – Every inch of the chicken is loaded with tropical flavor.
- It’s healthy! The ingredients are naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
- It’s the perfect kid-friendly protein for busy weeknights.
- The brine + baste method makes juicy grilled chicken every time.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Brining Solution: You can use whatever brining solution you typically use. I use a combination of water, garlic, sea salt, and a bay leaf. The brining method featured here works perfectly.
- Chicken: I like using boneless chicken breasts. Brining them beforehand makes them super juicy. If you prefer bone-in, I recommend brining them longer (overnight preferably) and adding a few minutes to the grilling time.
- Olive Oil: After brining, you’ll coat the chicken in a light layer of olive oil to help seal in moisture and keep the chicken from sticking to the grill.
- Salt and Pepper: enhances every delicious fruity flavor.
- Mango Sauce: This simple mango sauce is thick, sticky, and pleasantly sweet. I make it with a combination of chunky mango salsa and orange all-fruit preserves. Instead of orange, feel free to use peach or apricot all-fruit preserves. I also add fresh chopped mango to the mix when using canned salsa.
How To Make Grilled Mango Chicken
Step 1: Brine chicken. Start by adding your brining solution ingredients (water, garlic, sea salt, and a bay leaf) to a large resealable bag. Place the bag in a deep bowl. Add your chicken and seal the bag closed (pressing out as much air as possible)—brine for at least 2 hours.
Step 2: Prepare chicken for grilling. Rinse the chicken thoroughly with cool water and pat dry. Moving along, coat the chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside on a clean plate.
Step 3: Make mango sauce. Whisk mango salsa and all-fruit preserves together in a small bowl.
Step 4: Grill chicken. Preheat your grill on medium-high heat. Once hot, place brined chicken on the grill and cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Halfway through, baste the chicken with mango sauce and flip the pieces over. Baste the opposite side with a thick layer of mango sauce and leave the chicken be while it finishes.
Step 5: Let the chicken rest and serve. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter, tent with foil, and let rest for a few minutes to allow the meat to absorb all of the flavorful juices and finish coming to temperature (165 degrees F). Remove the foil and serve hot. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Thin chicken first – You can pound the chicken breasts out to an even thickness, so they cook evenly.
- Jarred vs. fresh mango salsa – You can use either. If using fresh mango salsa, feel free to blend it beforehand if you prefer a less chunky texture.
- Mango chicken skewers – Another option is skewering the chicken before grilling. If your skewers are wood, be sure to soak them in water beforehand.
- Finish with fresh lime juice – Squeeze lime juice over the chicken to brighten every tropical fruity flavor.
Variations
The simplicity of this recipe leaves room for flexibility. Check out tasty ideas below:
- Salsa & fruit preserve alternatives – Instead of mango salsa and all-fruit orange preserves, feel free to get creative with the salsa and preserve combo. Feel free to use any jarred fruit salsa like pineapple, peach, or strawberry. A smoky chipotle salsa with blackberry or raspberry preserves is a great option.
- Make habanero mango grilled chicken – Add some heat to your mango sauce by blending the salsa and preserves with fresh habanero. You can also use jarred mango habanero salsa.
- Spicy mango chicken – Bring the heat by adding a bit of chili powder, cayenne, or smoked paprika to the mango sauce. Adjust to taste.
Serving Suggestions
Wondering what to serve alongside grilled mango chicken? I like serving the chicken with sliced avocado, grilled veggies, and fluffy white rice. This recipe also pairs well with:
Storing & Freezing
Storing: After cooling, store leftover mango grilled chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Unfortunately, this isn’t a good one to freeze.
Recipe FAQ
Absolutely, but chicken thighs will need more time on the grill.
Yes, but I recommend blending the mango sauce into a smooth, marinade-like consistency first and then basting it over the wings or drumsticks while grilling.
Brining before grilling helps lock in the moisture, prevent overcooking and develop gorgeous grill marks.
More Chicken Recipes
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Easy Mango Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless chicken breasts soaked in a brining solution
- 1/4 cup EVOO
- 1/2 cup mango salsa
- 1/2 cup orange all-fruit preserves peach and apricot work great too!
- 1/4 cup fresh mango chopped
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Brine meat using the instructions here. I brine the meat for about two hours.
- Rinse chicken breasts in cool water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Coat chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; Set aside.
- Whisk salsa and preserves together in a small bowl and stir in the fresh mango.
- Cook chicken on a preheated grill, on medium-high heat, until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F, basting with salsa mixture a couple of times during cooking.
- Right before the chicken is finished grilling (internal temperature of 165 F), coat with a thick layer of salsa glaze and do not flip again before removing from the grill.
- Tent chicken with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes to finish cooking and allow juices to soak back into the meat.
Notes
- Thin chicken first – You can pound the chicken breasts out to an even thickness, so they cook evenly.
- Jarred vs. fresh mango salsa – You can use either. If using fresh mango salsa, feel free to blend it beforehand if you prefer a less chunky texture.
- Mango chicken skewers – Another option is skewering the chicken before grilling. If your skewers are wood, be sure to soak them in water beforehand.
- Finish with fresh lime juice – Squeeze lime juice over the chicken to brighten every tropical fruity flavor.
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally posted September 30, 2013 and has been updated throughout.
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So easy-love it Amee!