Bright and vibrant Mango Chicken is a flavorful, unique dinner that the whole family will enjoy! Tender chicken pieces are browned, and then baked in a sweet and tangy mango sauce. Serve with rice to soak up all of the delicious sauce!
Saucy chicken recipes are always a hit! If you’re looking for other new and exciting ways to serve chicken, try this caramel chicken, grilled Hawaiian chicken or amazing hoisin chicken and broccoli.
Mango Chicken Recipe
Mango chicken is quickly becoming one of my family’s favorite meals. It has a wonderful blend of flavors that combine tangy and sweet. The chicken is browned before adding it to a baking dish and pouring the simple, yet mouth-watering mango sauce over the top and cooking it until it’s saucy and bursting with flavor. It’s so good, we just cannot get enough!
This mango chicken recipe is not only incredibly tasty, but it comes together with very little hassle in just about 20 minutes of prep time. We like to enjoy it with fluffy white rice or coconut rice and a side of steamed veggies or an easy vegetable stir fry. This is one of those dinners that’s sure to become a regular in your meal rotation, just like it has in ours!
Ingredients Needed
This mango chicken recipe is easy to make with simple ingredients. The taste of the fresh mangos with the soy sauce and apple cider vinegar really takes your average chicken to the next level!
- Chicken Breasts: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for easy prep.
- Garlic Salt: To season the chicken.
- Cornstarch: Creates a wonderful crispy exterior on the chicken pieces.
- Eggs: Helps the coating stick to each piece of chicken.
- Oil: Use a neutral oil, like canola oil to brown the chicken and give it a nice crust.
For the Sauce:
- Sugar: Granulated sugar adds a touch of sweetness to the sauce.
- Mango Nectar: Adds extra fruity mango flavor to the dish.
- Soy Sauce: Provides a delicious salty flavor that balances the sweetness of the other ingredients.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Adds some acidity and a subtle tang.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce.
- Red Bell Pepper: For color, texture and flavor.
- Mango Chunks: Use fresh or frozen chunks, and you can add them to the pan frozen. They will cook quickly.
- Green Onions: Optional for garnish to finish the dish with a pop of color.
What is Mango Nectar?
Mango nectar is mango puree mixed with a liquid sweetener. It is used to make sauces, drinks, smoothies, and desserts. It can be found in the beverage aisle at the grocery store.
How to Make Mango Chicken
Making mango chicken is very simple! Dredge the chicken, make the sauce, coat the chicken in sauce and bake to perfection. You’re going to go crazy over this dish. It has so much flavor and tastes better than takeout!
- Prep the Chicken: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and then season with garlic salt.
- Dredge Chicken: Add the cornstarch to one bowl, and the slightly beaten eggs to another bowl. Dip each chicken piece into the cornstarch then coat it in the egg mixture.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook until all the chicken is browned.
- Add to Baking Dish: Place the browned chicken into a 9 x 13 greased baking dish.
- Make the Sauce: Mix the sugar, mango nectar, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Coat the Chicken in Sauce: Pour the sauce over the chicken and then top the chicken with the red pepper and mango chunks.
- Bake: Place in oven and bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes. Stir the chicken every 15 minutes to help coat the chicken in the sauce.
- Serve: Garnish with chopped green onions and serve over rice and enjoy!
Tips and Variations
Here are a few tips, so your chicken turns out perfect every time you make it! I’ve also included a few ways to switch things up. That’s one thing that’s so great about cooking at home instead of ordering takeout. You can customize it however you want!
- Different Chicken: This recipe also works really well with skinless chicken thighs or pork if you want to switch things up!
- Chicken Pieces: Chop the chicken into similar-sized pieces, so that they cook evenly.
- Dredging Process: It’s important to first coat your chicken in the cornstarch and then the egg. This step makes the perfect breading for the chicken.
- Flash Frying: Don’t cook the chicken all the way through before baking. You just want to give the chicken a nice crust and lightly brown it on the outside, and then it bakes to perfection.
- Change the Sugar: For the sauce, you can swap the granulated sugar for brown sugar, if you’d like! It will give your chicken a deeper, more caramel-like flavor.
How to Store Leftover Mango Chicken
This mango chicken tastes great the next day for lunch or dinner! Heat it up and make yourself a rice bowl, add it to a stir fry or eat it plain!
- In the Refrigerator: Once your chicken has cooled, then you can store any leftovers in an airtight container. Place it in your fridge, and it will last for 4-5 days.
- To Reheat: You can reheat the leftover chicken on your stove or in the microwave!
More Asian-Inspired Recipes
If you loved this mango chicken then you most certainly will enjoy some of my other saucy Asian inspired recipes! Here are some other tasty options!
Dinner
Awesome Kung Pao Shrimp
20 mins
Dinner
Sticky Asian Glazed Chicken
20 mins
Salads
Asian Edamame Ramen Salad
15 mins
Dinner
Asian Glazed Salmon
20 mins
Mango Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts boneless, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup canola oil
Mango Sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup mango nectar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 cup red bell pepper, cut into chunks
- 1 cup mango chunks, fresh or frozen
- green onions for garnish
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with garlic salt.
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Add the cornstarch to one bowl, and the slightly beaten eggs to another bowl. Dip each chicken piece into the cornstarch then coat it in the egg mixture.
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Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook until all the chicken is browned.
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Place the browned chicken into a 9 x 13 greased baking dish.
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Mix the sugar, mango nectar, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
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Pour the sauce over the chicken and top the chicken with the red pepper and mango chunks.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes. Stir the chicken every 15 minutes to help coat the chicken in the sauce.
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Garnish with chopped green onions and serve over rice and enjoy!
