One of the reasons chicken is the protein of choice at our dinner table is that there are so many ways to make it. And while I have oodles of recipes for making delicious chicken dinners, this Grilled Mango Chicken recipe is one that consistently gets the thumbs-up at our house.
Using a simple marinade with flavors of mango, coconut, ginger, and citrus, this easy chicken cooks quickly on the grill and is an absolute must for summertime cookouts. Just top it with an equally easy and tasty mango salsa, and it’s ready to go!
Why You’ll Want to Make This Mango Chicken on the Regular
A juicy grilled chicken recipe that is full of tropical flavor- what’s not to love!
- Different. Some mango chicken recipes may get the majority of their flavor from just a simple topping or a marinade with a less complex profile. Here, we dress up the chicken with the infusion of mango in both ways — both with a flavorful marinade and a mango salsa garnish.
- Crowd-Pleasing. The flavors in this dish are bold, yet not over-powering, so it pleases nearly every palate.
- Easy to Make Ahead. Since the chicken needs time to marinate, it’s a great dish to prep ahead of time for a party and then pop on the grill when you’re ready.
Ingredients
These simple ingredients come together to create an easy grilled chicken recipe that you’ll want to make again and again.
- Mango – Juicy, sweet mangoes give the chicken its tropical flavor.
- Garlic – Chopped garlic gives the chicken a savory kick of flavor and balances out the mango.
- Lite Coconut Milk – This milk adds a subtle coconut flavor that’s just perfect for the simple marinade.
- Fresh Lime Juice – Add a citrusy zing to the marinade with fresh lime juice — plus, it helps to make the chicken moist!
- Fresh Ginger – Grated ginger adds warmth and another layer of flavor that pairs perfectly with the mango.
- Light Brown Sugar – Brown sugar adds some sweetness and caramelizes beautifully on the grill.
- Coarse Kosher Salt – A sprinkle of coarse kosher salt brings out the natural flavors of the other ingredients.
- Zest of a Lime – The zest is where all the aromatic oils are — using it adds concentrated citrusy brightness to the marinade.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts – Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are lean and easily soak up all of the flavors of the marinade.
- Mango Salsa – Use my easy and flavorful mango salsa recipe to top the chicken before you serve it.
How to Make Grilled Mango Chicken
The only hard part about this recipe is waiting for the chicken to marinate so you can toss it on the grill!
- Blend mango and garlic. To make the marinade, add the mango and garlic to a large food processor or blender and pulse until it becomes pasty.
- Make the marinade. Then, add the rest of the marinade ingredients and blend.
- Marinate chicken. Pour the chicken marinade into a large bowl over the chicken and toss so that all of the chicken is completely covered with the marinade.
- Chill. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator overnight or for up to 1 day.
- Toss out excess marinade. Before grilling, take the chicken out of the bag and throw away the excess marinade.
- Grill chicken. Place the chicken on the prepared grates of a preheated grill and cook over indirect heat until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant-read thermometer.
- Allow to rest. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate or cutting board and allow it to rest briefly.
- Slice and garnish. Before serving, use a sharp knife to slice the chicken. Garnish with mango salsa.
What to Serve With Grilled Mango Chicken
Mango grilled chicken can be easily paired with so many sides! For starches, we particularly like ginger rice, pineapple fried rice, and cilantro lime coconut rice. Or you can swap out traditional rice for cauliflower rice as a lower-carb option.
If you’re looking for veggies, this chicken is delicious alongside dishes like pan-fried broccolini, spicy honey vegetable kabobs, or roasted asparagus with apricot sauce. For a cold side dish, try a refreshing cucumber and tomato salad or passion fruit caprese salad.
Variations
You may find that you get lots of requests to make this recipe just as it is! But you can put your own twists on it, too.
- Spiciness – Add some jalapenos, cayenne pepper powder, or crushed red pepper to the marinade. You can also add a few splashes of Sriracha or other hot sauce.
- Meat – Swap out the chicken breasts for chicken thighs or wings. Or try using pork, instead.
- Soy – Add some soy sauce for a bit of Asian-inspired flair in the marinade.
- BBQ Sauce – Replace some or all of the coconut milk with BBQ sauce for a different flavor profile.
- Skewers – Instead of cooking the chicken breasts whole, chop them into chunks and place them on skewers with veggies before cooking them.
- Lettuce Wraps or Tortillas – Serve the chicken with lettuce or warm tortillas for wrapping.
- Pizza – Use the chicken as a topping and make a grilled mango chicken pizza.
- Cooking Technique – If you don’t have a grill or you just prefer to cook inside, you can roast the chicken in the oven instead.
Storage and Freezing
Grilled Mango Chicken is the perfect meal to make ahead for meal prep!
You can make the marinade ahead of time and store it for up to 1 day before combining it with the chicken. You can also make the entire dish and refrigerate it and then reheat and serve when ready. Or, serve it chilled over salad greens.
How to Store Grilled Mango Chicken
you can store the any mango chicken leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Can I Freeze Grilled Mango Chicken?
Place the chicken in a freezer-safe container or a resealable freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Common Questions About Grilled Mango Chicken
Chicken’s mellow flavor makes it an ideal pairing with lots of fruits and vegetables and mango is definitely one of them. The sweet and floral notes that mango brings to the table brighten up the chicken for a meal everyone will love.
This mango chicken recipe does not have nuts but if you want the added texture you can sprinkle pine nuts or crushed nuts over top.
Keeping chicken moist on the grill requires cooking it over indirect heat for the majority of the time it is on the grill. Also, marinating the chicken will help it to retain moisture.
More Chicken Recipes That Are Chock-Full of Flavor
Chicken dinners don’t have to be boring! Here are a few of our favorites that we know you’ll love too.
Chicken Alfredo Bake
Chicken Piccata Meatballs
BBQ Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Grilled Mango Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 cups mango , fresh or jarred
- 2 cloves garlic , roughly chopped
- 1 cup lite coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger , grated
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 coarse kosher salt
- Zest of 1 lime
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts , trimmed
- Mango Salsa
Instructions
- In a large food processor, combine the mango and garlic. Pulse until a paste forms. Add the coconut milk, lime juice, ginger, brown sugar, salt and lime zest. Blend until fully combined, some coarser pieces are fine.
- Transfer the marinade to a large bowl or airtight plastic bag. Place the chicken in the bowl or bag, cover to coat and chill for 12-24 hours.
- When ready to grill, remove the chicken from the marinade, discarding any excess.
- Preheat the grill to 350°F and generously oil the grates.
- Grill over indirect heat for 25-30 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F. Remove from the grill and rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice the chicken and then top with mango salsa.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Nutrition
Wow, this recipe is delicious and easy to make. thanks for sharing! I’ll add this to my list
I have all these mangoes from Costco I had no idea what to do with! The mangoes and the ginger work really well together, really yummy dinner to use up those mangoes!
This is soooooo delicious! Tender and juicy, tons of flavor!
Drooling over this grilled mango chicken. Can’t wait to try the recipe. Thanks for sharing.
This Grilled Mango Chicken recipe is delicious and healthy!!! can’t wait to make it for dinner, we love mango, and what better combination with chicken? Thanks for sharing 🙂