Sweet Mango Barbecue Chicken with a sweet and tangy marinade that’s out of this world! Juicy, flavorful, and with a tropical twist, it’s a must for your summer BBQ’s!
Any excuse is good enough excuse for G to fire up the grill and have steaks going. With the Southern California weather feeling like summer already, it was no surprise for me to find the self-proclaimed grill master in the kitchen, intent on marinating a huge slab of tri-tip to go on hot coals in a few hours.
But although tender slices of beef in teriyaki sauce sounded amazing, I was more in the mood for barbecued chicken with a tropical twist.
This sweet mango barbecue chicken uses a sweet and tangy combination of mango nectar (I used KERNS) and BBQ sauce with healthy dashes of red pepper flakes to kick it up a notch. It was Oh. So. Good. even G has to concede, today’s round of pitmaster battle goes to me.
Here are a few tips on how to make the most delicious sweet mango barbecue chicken ever:
- I usually use Kerns mango nectar because it’s available year round but during summer months when fresh mangoes are aplenty, I like to puree the fruit flesh into a smooth pulp to use instead. Depending on how sweet your mangoes are,  add brown sugar to taste. Please, please, try to find Manila mangoes, they’re the best in the world!
- Make sure to pat dry the chicken thighs with paper towels to keep the extra liquid from diluting the marinade.
- After you drain the chicken, bring the sweet mango barbecue marinade to a boil for a good 15 to 20 minutes for food safety and to reduce it into a delicious glaze for basting. You can always double the marinade, marinate the chicken overnight with half of the mixture and reduce the other half to use as sauce.
Ingredients
- 4 (4 ounces each) boneless chicken thigh meat
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup mango nectar (I used KERNS)
- 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Trim chicken thigh fillets of extra fat, wash and drain well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a bowl, combine mango nectar, barbecue sauce, and red pepper flakes. Marinate chicken for about 4 hours or overnight for best results. Drain from marinade.
- In a saucepan, bring the mango nectar-barbecue marinade to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes or until reduced to 1/2 cup. Add sesame oil and stir to combine.
- Arrange chicken in a single layer on a hot grill and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. When the meat starts to lose its pink, start to baste regularly with reduced marinade. Continue to cook for about 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Let rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition Information
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
Tammy says
can this be cooked in the oven? I am not sure I will have a grill available at my son’s rehearsal dinner. If so, temps,timing, etc.? Thanks!
Di {CookTheTV} says
Hi Lalaine,
Love this! Wondering if you would mind if I add it to my grilling recipe roundup that will include several blogs.
I would like to use your photo and link back to your site. Please let me know what you think.
Thanks Lalaine:)
Di{CookTheTV}
Lalaine says
Di, I will be so honored. 🙂
Medeja says
This chicken looks so juicy and the marinade sounds very yummy!
Lalaine says
Thanks, Medeja.
Meghan @ The Tasty Fork says
I’m always looking for new chicken recipe for the grill. This looks amazing! Pinning & Sharing!
Lalaine says
Thanks Meghan for the visit and pin.