Air Fryer Mango Chicken Recipe
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Jump to RecipeThis air fryer mango chicken recipe is bright, sweet, spicy, and is on the table fast! Marinade the chicken a delicious mango lime dressing for amazing flavor in each bite. And it cooks in just 15 minutes!
Elevate your chicken with this delicious tropical marinade. You can use chicken breasts or thighs for this versatile dish, making it a quick weeknight meal everyone at the table will love.
Want more easy chicken recipes? Try our oven-baked chicken shawarma, our favorite orange chicken with marmalade, and our chipotle chicken fajita recipe!
We recently enjoyed an amazing lunch at Nando’s chicken, and I had the mango lime chicken which was SO good I had to make a version at home. But instead of the grill, I made a delicious version in the air fryer, which took half the time!
This chicken is sweet, spicy, and herby – and not to mention tender and juicy. You can enjoy this recipe as-is, or slice it up and enjoy it in chicken salads, sandwiches, or wraps.
Why This Recipe Works
- It’s light, flavorful, herby, and delicious!
- A great sweet and savory combination that works so well.
- This chicken cooks in just 15 minutes, making it a great weeknight meal option!
- It’s versatile and works great for meal prepping.
- Cooks of any skill level can make this recipe by following our step-by-step photos and directions below.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!
You can start with chicken breasts or thighs – I used breasts, as that is what I had on hand. Make sure you use boneless and skinless chicken for this recipe.
Fresh mango is diced and added to the marinade, giving it a sweet flavor. I also add in some fresh lime juice and orange juice, which gives the chicken a wonderful fruity and citrusy taste.
The spices for the marinade are salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, olive oil, and chili flakes for extra heat! This combination of spices gets into the chicken breast, giving it a fantastic flavor when cooked.
To top off the chicken, I add more fresh lime juice and some fresh herbs like cilantro for added freshness.
Additions and Substitutions
For a spicier dish, you can add in 1-2 teaspoons of your favorite hot sauce to the marinade. I like our peri peri hot sauce recipe which has amazing flavor!
You can use fresh squeezed orange juice, bottled orange juice, or frozen orange juice from concentrate in the marinade.
If you don’t like cilantro, try topping the chicken with fresh parsley or basil instead.
How To Make This Recipe
Step 1: Marinate the chicken – in a bag, or bowl, add the chicken breasts, diced mango, the juice of 2 limes (save 1 lime for later), orange juice, garlic powder, onion powder, olive oil, paprika, salt and chili flakes.
Step 2: Seal the bag (or cover the bowl, if using), and allow the chicken to marinade for at least 1 hour.
Step 3: When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the marinade. Using a knife, gently score the chicken 3-4 times per piece, in the thickest part of the breast. This will help the chicken evenly cook in the air fryer.
Step 4: Place the chicken breasts in the air fryer, in an even layer.
Step 5: Set the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and cook the chicken for 12-15 minutes, or until it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the breast.
Step 6: Remove the chicken from the air fryer and serve on a plate. Top with fresh lime juice from the remaining lime, and top with cilantro or other fresh herbs if desired, enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
You can use either – both work well! I use fresh, but frozen mango can be added into the marinade, just be sure to thaw and drain the mango first.
Yes! This chicken works great for prepping ahead of time to make lunches or dinners with. Make this chicken on a Sunday and enjoy ready-made protein during the week!
Yes, you can marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours before cooking. The longer the chicken marinates the better the flavor, so this recipes is great to prep the day before.
Expert Tips
If your chicken breasts are very thick, you can slice them in half width-wise to make thinner patties. This will help the chicken cook quicker in the air fryer.
Scoring the chicken helps the meat cook quicker in the air fryer, so make sure not to skip this step!
When cooking the chicken, you can remove the mango, or add it into the air fryer to cook alongside the chicken.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Marbella Recipe
- Chicken Ratatouille Stew
- Smoked Chicken Breasts In an Electric Smoker
- Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Giardino Recipe
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Coconut Milk Recipe
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Air Fryer Mango Chicken
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Bag or Bowl for Marinade
Ingredients
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, or thighs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3 limes divided
- 1 mango diced
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken – in a bag, or bowl, add the chicken breasts, diced mango, the juice of 2 limes (save 1 lime for later), orange juice, garlic powder, onion powder, olive oil, paprika, salt and chili flakes.
- Seal the bag (or cover the bowl, if using), and allow the chicken to marinade for at least 1 hour.
- When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the marinade. Using a knife, gently score the chicken 3-4 times per piece, in the thickest part of the breast. This will help the chicken evenly cook in the air fryer.
- Place the chicken breasts in the air fryer, in an even layer. If the chicken doesn't fit in an even layer, cook in two batches. Set the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and cook the chicken for 12-15 minutes, or until it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the breast.
- Remove the chicken from the air fryer and serve on a plate. Top with fresh lime juice from the remaining lime, and top with cilantro or other fresh herbs if desired, enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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