Grilled chicken with mango salsa makes an easy, healthy and tropical dinner for the summer BBQ season. Just mix mangoes, peppers, tomatoes, tequila & cilantro, top your grilled chicken, and enjoy!
Mango Salsa Chicken
Summertime means grilling and this grilled mango salsa chicken with its hint of lime, is both easy and delicious. Its smoky grilled flavor is the perfect foil for the sweet and spicy mango salsa which takes this dinner from ordinary to extraordinary.
Salsa is a lovely topper that changes any meal into something special. Chicken, fish, and fish tacos taste delicious with Cucumber Salsa, this salsa with mango, or fruity Pineapple Salsa while Peach Cherry Salsa tastes particularly delicious on pork. You can even use salsa for a summertime dip that is both cool and refreshing.
Why This is the Best Chicken with Salsa Recipe
- Moist and juicy chicken with a hint of lime
- Mango salsa brings cool freshness
- Easy to prepare ahead of time
- Healthy low carb dinner
- Salsa makes a great appetizer dip too!
Grilled Chicken with Mango Salsa Ingredients
There are two parts to this mango salsa chicken recipe. First is the fresh mango salsa and the other is the chicken marinade with lime and garlic.
Mango Salsa Ingredients
- Ripe mango - sweet, soft, tropical flavor that highlights this salsa
- Fresh jalapeno peppers - add as little or as much as your want for heat
- Green bell pepper - lends an earthy flavor
- Sweet onion - gives a touch of sweetness to this spicy mix
- Red onion - adds color and crispness
- Tomatoes - lend color, juiciness and garden freshness
- Fresh cilantro - can be substituted with parsley
- Fresh lime juice - gives the salsa a zesty flavor
- Tequila - provides a spicy touch
- Salt - enhances all the flavors
- Cayenne Pepper - for a little extra heat
Grilled Lime Chicken Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts - makes this recipe easier. If the breasts are very thick, cut horizontally to make grilling quicker and more even.
- Fresh lime juice - helps to tenderize the meat for grilling
- Minced garlic cloves - enhances the chicken's flavor
- Olive Oil - serves as a blending and binding agent to adhere the marinade ingredients to the chicken
Mango Salsa Variations
There are a few ingredients you can add to the lime mango salsa for extra flavor. Here are some ideas:
- Mango Avocado Salsa - Add one chopped avocado to the mix.
- Mango Chili Salsa - Add a tablespoon of chopped red chili peppers.
- Mango Corn Salsa - Add a ¼ cup of fresh corn kernels.
- Mango Habanero Salsa - Add 1 teaspoon of chopped habanero pepper instead of the jalapeno pepper.
- Mango Papaya Salsa - Add 1 cup of chopped papaya.
- Mango Peach Salsa - Add 1 cup of chopped fresh peaches.
- Mango Pineapple Salsa - Add 1 cup of chopped canned or fresh pineapple.
Chicken Lime Marinade Variations
For additional flavor, there are a few ingredients you can add to the garlic lime chicken marinade:
- Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade - add ¼ cup of chopped fresh cilantro.
- Honey Lime Chicken Marinade - add 2 tablespoons of honey.
- Chili Lime Chicken Marinade - add 2 teaspoons of chopped red chili peppers.
How to Make Grilled Chicken with Mango Salsa
There are two parts to making this chicken and mango salsa recipe. The first will be to prepare the best mango salsa for chicken. The next will be for grilling the lime-marinated chicken.
How to Make Salsa with Mango
This salsa does have a bit of a bite to it so if you are not into spicy you can easily tone down the heat by cutting down or eliminating the jalapeno.
- Place diced mango and jalapeno into a medium bowl.
- Pour lime juice over both.
- Add tequila.
- Stir well.
- Add tomatoes, green pepper, red and sweet onion, and cilantro to the mango mixture.
- Stir well and refrigerate for 1-3 hours.
How to Make Grilled Lime Chicken
- Prepare marinade by combining lime juice and minced garlic.
- Whisk together.
- Place chicken in a reusable ziplock bag and pour marinade over it.
- Seal and place in the refrigerator for 1-3 hours.
- When ready to grill, preheat the grill and spray with a nonstick cooking spray. Place the chicken directly on the hot grill.
- Cook 15-20 minutes, turning halfway though. Timing depends on the thickness of your chicken.
Remove the chicken from the grill and let sit for at least 5 minutes. Place on a platter and spoon a little mango salsa over each breast. I like to serve the remaining salsa on the side for some extra helpings.
Recipe Tips
- Slice the chicken in half or pound it so it has even thickness. This will help with soaking in the marinade and cooking evenly on the grill.
- Oil your grill grates to help prevent the chicken from sticking to them.
- Preheat the grill fully to ensure a nice sear on your chicken.
- Don't overcook the chicken. Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness. Chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Let the chicken rest, tented with foil, for 5 to 10 minutes after grilling and before serving.
What to Serve with Mango Salsa Chicken
What goes with these delicious grilled lime chicken breasts with mango salsa? Here are some ideas:
- Grilled Vegetables - Green Beans, Onions, Squash, or Zucchini.
- Rice - Cilantro Lime Rice, Coconut Rice, or plain white rice.
- Tortillas to make chicken tacos with mango salsa. Also, cut the chicken into strips or bite-sized pieces.
Wine Pairing: Try a slightly sweet white wine for chicken with fruit salsa such as a Sauvignon Blanc, a Viognier, or a Riesling. Stay away from dry wines as the sweetness of this meal will make the wine taste sour.
How to Store and Reheat Grilled Chicken
For Storing - This salsa can be refrigerated for several days and top another night's dinner. Try it with almost any grilled fish or shrimp to add a tropical twist to your meal.
For reheating - Place chicken in a dish with a little water and cover with foil or wrap individually in foil with 2-3 tablespoons of water and reheat in a 325-degree oven for 10-15 minutes.
If you must use a microwave, heat on the reheat setting with a little bit of water added to the dish for 1-½ minutes. If the chicken is not hot, heat for an additional 30 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken can be marinated in as little as 30 minutes but 5 to 6 hours is best. It is not recommended to marinate chicken for more than 24 hours or it can become mushy.
There is no need to wash chicken before marinating or cooking. Washing chicken can lead to cross-contamination, spreading bacteria from the meat to other areas such as hands, other food, and kitchen surfaces.
You can tell if a mango is ripe by color, firmness, and smell. As mangoes ripen they change color from green to yellow, orange, and red. Ripe mangoes will be slightly firm and a little give when squeezed. They will smell sweet around the stem.
Best Grilled Meat Recipes
- Grilled Cajun Salmon with cucumber lime salsa.
- Grilled London Broil with an easy Italian dressing marinade.
- Grilled Pineapple Pork Chops with coconut and rum in the marinade.
- Grilled Shrimp in Foil with vegetables makes an easy dinner with little cleanup.
- Grilled Tuna Steak is sesame-crusted and full of flavor.
Find the best grilling recipes here on 2CM!
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Grilled Chicken with Mango Salsa
Ingredients
Mango Salsa
- ¼ cup lime juice
- ⅛ cup tequila
- 1-2 jalapeno peppers, minced
- 1 ½ ripe mangoes, diced & divided
- ½ green pepper, diced
- ¼ cup sweet onion, diced
- ¼ cup red onion, diced
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, chopped fine
- 1 teaspoon salt
- pinch cayenne pepper
Grilled Chicken with Lime Marinade
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 limes, juiced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
Mango Salsa
- Make the salsa at the same time you start marinating the chicken and they will both be ready at the same time.
- In a non-reactive bowl, mix lime juice, tequila, jalapeno peppers and 1 of the mangoes, diced.
- Stir in green pepper, onions, tomatoes and cilantro.
- Marinate in refrigerator for 1-3 hours.
- Just before serving, toss in remaining ½ mango, diced and season with salt and cayenne pepper.
Garlic Lime Chicken
- Place chicken in a plastic zippered storage bag. Add remaining marinade ingredients and seal. Place in refrigerator and marinate for 1-3 hours.
- Remove chicken from marinade. Discard marinade.
- Preheat grill. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken on hot grill and cook for 15-20 minutes, turning halfway through.
- Place chicken on platter and spoon mango salsa over each breast. Serve with additional salsa on the side.
Notes
- Slice the chicken in half or pound it so it has even thickness. This will help with soaking in the marinade and cooking evenly on the grill.
- Oil your grill grates to help prevent the chicken from sticking to them.
- Preheat the grill fully to ensure a nice sear on your chicken.
- Don't overcook the chicken. Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness. Chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Let the chicken rest, tented with foil, for 5 to 10 minutes after grilling and before serving.
Nutrition
This post has been updated with new photos and step-by-step directions. It was first posted on August 21, 2014.
This is such a great dinner recipe. The whole family loved it! Will definitely be making this one again.
So glad everyone liked it! It's one of our favorite go-to dinners especially in the summer.
Love this!! A delicious taste of the tropics for any day of the year!