Mango Chipotle Chicken Rice Bowls Recipe
These Mango Chipotle Chicken Rice Bowls are sweet, smoky, and bright all in one bite. Caramelized chicken thighs in a fresh mango chipotle marinade, piled over coconut cilantro lime rice with a quick mango salsa on top. On the table in under an hour, and family-friendly on the heat.
Servings: 5 servings
Ingredients
Chipotle Mango Marinade
- ⅓ cup fresh mango, diced
- 3 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce use 1 pepper for medium heat, or 2 for spicy
- 3 garlic cloves finely minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice from 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Chicken
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Coconut Milk Cilantro Lime Rice
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 cup basmati rice or long grain white rice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Mango Salsa
- ⅔ cup fresh mango, diced
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely diced optional
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- A pinch of salt
Lime Crema (Optional)
- ½ cup sour cream or Mexican crema
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- A pinch of salt
For Serving
- 4 cocktail cucumbers, thinly sliced or 1 English cucumber
- 2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
- Add the mango, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, garlic, olive oil, lime juice, cumin, paprika, salt, oregano, and black pepper to a blender. Blend until smooth.3 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 3 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 ¼ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl and pour the marinade over the chicken. Toss to coat evenly. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes while you prep the rest of the bowl ingredients.1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Arrange the marinated chicken thighs on the prepared baking sheet, making sure each thigh is contacting the pan. Discard any excess marinade left in the bowl.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the edges are slightly charred.
- While the chicken bakes, make the coconut milk cilantro lime rice. Rinse the rice in a fine mesh strainer until the liquid runs clear. Shake the can of coconut milk well, then pour it into a medium pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the rinsed rice and salt, stir to combine, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in the lime juice and cilantro.1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk, 1 cup basmati rice, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, ½ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- Make the mango salsa. Combine the mango, red onion, jalapeño (if using), cilantro, and salt in a small bowl. Stir gently and set aside.⅔ cup fresh mango, diced, ¼ cup red onion, finely diced, 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely diced, 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped, A pinch of salt
- Whisk the sour cream, lime juice, and salt together in a small bowl until smooth, if making the lime crema.½ cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, A pinch of salt
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then slice into bite-sized pieces.
- Divide the rice between 4 bowls. Top with the chicken, cucumber, avocado, and mango salsa. Garnish with cilantro, lime crema, and lime wedges, if desired.4 cocktail cucumbers, thinly sliced, 2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced, Fresh cilantro, chopped, Lime wedges
Video
Notes
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs stay juicy at high heat and hold up beautifully to the marinade. You can use chicken breasts, just check for doneness a few minutes earlier to avoid drying out.
- Marinade: The whole chipotle peppers plus the adobo sauce bring the smoky heat. Find a small can in the Latin aisle. The base of 1 to 2 peppers plus 3 tablespoons of sauce lands at a family-friendly spice level. Bump up to 3 peppers if you want it hotter.
- Mango: Fresh mango works best for both the marinade and the salsa. If fresh mango isn’t available, you can use frozen mango (thawed and drained) in the marinade. For the salsa, fresh is strongly recommended.
- Alternative cooking method, grill: Grill the marinated chicken thighs over medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until charred and cooked through to 165°F.
- Storage: Store leftover chicken, rice, and mango salsa in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Hold off on slicing the cucumber and avocado until ready to serve.
- Freezing: The cooked chicken freezes well for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The coconut rice can also be frozen for up to 2 months, but the texture will be slightly softer once reheated. The mango salsa and lime crema do not freeze well, make them fresh.
- Make ahead: The marinade can be blended up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. You can marinate the chicken overnight for deeper flavor, but do not exceed 24 hours, the acid will start to break down the chicken texture.
Nutrition
Calories: 563kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 1054mg | Potassium: 1001mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1162IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 3mg
