The savory blackened chicken pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the mango salsa, which is served over cilantro lime rice and topped with an avocado lime dipping sauce, making it not only absolutely delicious but also a balanced, easy, and healthy dinner recipe for busy weeknights!
Why you'll love this blackened chicken with mango salsa:
- This dish is easy to make and uses convenience items such and frozen rice and pre-made dipping sauces.
- This is a healthy recipe. The blackened chicken serves as a flavorful lean protein source, the cilantro lime rice serves as your starchy carbohydrate source which allows you to keep fuller for longer and you have a mango avocado salsa that provides you with a blend of color, fiber, micronutrients and healthy fats.
- Ready in under 30 minutes making it the perfect dinner for busy weeknights.
If you love this healthy recipe, you will love my Easy Ground Beef Street Tacos, my Sheet Pan Chicken Tacos and my Healthy Nachos.
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Ingredients
- Large Mango, Diced
- Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
- Avocado, Diced
- Red Onion, Minced
- Pinch of Salt
- Pinch of Pepper
- Olive Oil or Avocado Oil
- Fresh Lime Juice or Orange Juice
- Chicken Breast, Diced
- Blackened Seasoning Mix: I used a pre-prepared seasoning mix I picked up at the grocery store but you can also make your own homemade blackening seasoning.
- Cilantro Lime Rice: I used frozen cilantro lime rice from Grain Trust which I got at my local grocery store, Sprouts. Kevin's also makes a cilantro lime rice as well as Kroger and of course you can always make your own at home as well. Love and Lemons has a great cilantro lime rice recipe you can check out.
- Primal Kitchen Avocado Lime Dipping Sauce: (Optional) to drizzle on top of the bowl.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Make the fresh mango salsa: Dice your large mango, chop your cilantro, dice your avocado and mince your red onion and add them to a medium bowl.
3. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper (or to taste). Then add 1 tablespoon of olive or avocado oil and the juice of half a lime. Toss until the salsa is well combined.
4. Prepare your Chicken: Dice your chicken into 1" cubes.
- Add about 1.5-2 Tbs of Blackened seasoning mix to your chicken and toss until the seasonings are well distributed.
- Add 1 tbs of avocado oil to a large cast iron skillet on medium-high heat. When you have a hot skillet, add in your diced chicken. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until your chicken is no longer pink in the center and reaches an internal temperature of 165 F. Then let the chicken rest.
5. Prepare your Cilantro Lime Rice: I used frozen cilantro lime rice packets and followed the instructions on the packaging but you are welcome to make your own.
6. Assemble your bowl: Serve your blackened chicken with your fresh mango salsa on your bed of cilantro lime rice and drizzle with some Primal Kitchen Avocado Lime Sauce if using. Sit at the dinner table with your family and enjoy!
Hint: The best way to make blackened chicken is to make sure to preheat your skillet or grill until it's very hot. This helps to sear the spices onto the chicken, creating that flavorful crust while keeping the inside juicy. Also, don't be afraid to adjust the amount of spice in the blackening seasoning to your taste preferences. Enjoy!
Substitutions
- Vegetarian - Use Tofu instead of chicken to make this recipe vegetarian.
- Gluten-Free- This recipe is already gluten-free as is. If you use a different brown rice blend and you purchase a blackening seasoning, just make sure to check the ingredient labels to ensure that there are no fillers or additives that contain gluten.
- Dairy-Free- this recipe is already dairy-free as is.
- Cilantro Lime Rice- Use regular rice if you are not able to find at your local grocery store and don't feel like making your own cilantro lime rice. Alternatively, you can also serve this dish with some coconut rice instead!
- Lime Juice- If you don't have limes you can also use orange juice instead.
Variations
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes to add some heat to the dish or add more cayenne seasoning if you are making your own blackening seasoning to add some heat to this dish.
- Tacos - Make this blackened chicken with mango salsa bowl into tacos by serving them inside some corn tortillas instead of with rice.
- Grilled Chicken- Instead of dicing your chicken into 1" cubes and searing on a cast iron skillet, you can also leave your chicken breast whole and grill the chicken breast.
- Green Onion, Red Bell Pepper, Purple Cabbage (Deluxe Mango Salsa Recipe)- Add green onions, finely diced bell peppers and purple cabbage into your mango salsa to add some color and additional flavor.
This healthy recipe is already kid-friendly as is. I would just watch the amount of cayenne or blackening seasoning that is used depending on your child's age and spice tolerance level.
Equipment
All you need to make this blackened chicken with fresh mango salsa is a large skillet. I really like to use my cast iron skillet for this dish but it is not necessary.
If you’re in the market for an affordable cast iron, I have the Lodge Cast Iron Skillet and it has worked great for us for years!
If you plan on grilling your chicken, you will also (obviously) need a grill.
To make sure your chicken comes out perfect and reaches the correct internal temperature, I would recommend using a digital meat thermometer.
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I make a small commission if you choose to purchase through qualifying links.
Storage
Store any leftover blackened chicken and leftover mango salsa separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. This prevents the salsa from making the chicken soggy. A great way to use leftover mango salsa is on fish tacos as well!
Meal Prep: If you plan to eat them separately or in smaller portions, consider storing them them into a glass bento box that is air-tight and has dividers. These glass meal prep containers are my favorite.
FAQ
Yes, you can use frozen mango, but make sure to thaw and drain it properly to avoid excess moisture in the salsa.
Yes, pineapple or peach are good alternatives that complement the flavors well.
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs work best for this recipe.
You can use a store-bought blackening seasoning or make a simplified version with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.
Yes, you can prepare the salsa a few hours in advance. Store it in the refrigerator to let the flavors meld together.
Dinner
Looking for other easy dinner recipes like this? Try these:
Jump to: Recipe
Blackened Chicken with Mango Salsa
Equipment
- 1 Large Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 Large Mango Diced
- 1 Bunch Fresh Cilantro Chopped
- 1 Large Avocado Diced
- ½ Red Onion Minced
- Pinch of Salt
- Pinch of Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil or Avocado Oil Divided
- ½ Fresh Lime or Orange Juiced
- 1.5 Pounds Chicken Breast Diced
- 1.5-2 Tablespoons Blackened Seasoning Mix
- 2 Packages Frozen Cilantro Lime Rice
- Primal Kitchen Avocado Lime Dipping Sauce Drizzled to Garnish
Instructions
Make the fresh mango salsa:
- Dice your large mango, chop your cilantro, dice your avocado and mince your red onion and add them to a medium bowl.
- Season with a pinch of salt and pepper (or to taste). Then add 1 tablespoon of olive or avocado oil and the juice of half a lime. Toss until the salsa is well combined.
Prepare your Chicken:
- Dice your chicken into 1" cubes.
- Add about 1.5-2 Tbs of Blackened seasoning mix to your chicken and toss until the seasonings are well distributed.
- Add 1 tbs of avocado oil to a large cast iron skillet on medium-high heat. When you have a hot skillet, add in your diced chicken. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until your chicken is no longer pink in the center and reaches an internal temperature of 165 F. Then let the chicken rest.
Prepare your Cilantro Lime Rice:
- I used frozen cilantro lime rice packets and followed the instructions on the packaging but you are welcome to make your own.
Assemble Your Bowl:
- Serve your blackened chicken with your fresh mango salsa on your bed of cilantro lime rice and drizzle with some Primal Kitchen Avocado Lime Sauce if using. Sit at the dinner table with your family and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
FOOD SAFETY
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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