Sweet and Sour Mango Chicken

The last few weeks, Mangoes at the grocery store have been the perfectly ripe so I really wanted to take advantage of making some sort of Mango Chicken Dish. I’m not going to try and pass this off as a super healthy meal, but because of the addition of mango and pineapple juice, I was able to reduce a significant amount of sugar in the sweet and sour sauce. After a few different combinations, I think I found the right balance while using less than 1/2 the amount of sugar in some sweet and sour recipes. This quick stir-fry, that is ready to eat in 30 minutes, is a perfect “I don’t have a lot of time to make dinner” meal. I served this over cooked brown rice for my family and cauliflower rice for me.

Options, Substitutions and Tips!

1. Chicken Thighs or Chicken Breast can be used for this dish. I prefer chicken breast, but in stir-fries like this I think boneless/skinless chicken thighs are better because it is less likely the chicken will become dry and overcooked.
2. You can also coat the chicken by adding the chicken pieces and cornstarch to a large zip lock bag and shaking.
3. If you want to load in some extra vegetables-carrots, broccoli and cauliflower would all make good additions.
4. If Mangos are not in season or not available, you can substitute chopped pineapple.
5. There might be a point prior to adding the sauce where this dish does not look appetizing at all! But stick with it and once you add the sauce and Mangos, it will look beautiful.
6. This would have made such great leftovers, but unfortunately (or fortunately?) it was so good that it was all eaten. Next time I might double the recipe and keep the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Sweet and Sour Mango Chicken

Coated Chicken and Peppers are cooked in a quick stir fry with a sweet and tangy sauce. Topped off with Mangos for a sweet and savory meal.

• Wok or Large Frying Pan

• 1½ lbs. Chicken Thighs or Chicken Breast
• ¼ cup Cornstarch
• 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 Red Bell Pepper
• 1 Orange Bell Pepper
• 1 Mango

Sweet and Sour Sauce

• ⅓ cup Ketchup
• ⅓ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• ⅓ cup White Sugar
• ¼ cup Pineapple Juice
• ¼ tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tbsp. Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp. Cornstarch

1. Slice or dice chicken into even strips or cubes. Transfer chicken to deep bowl and coat with cornstarch.

2. Add olive oil to wok or frying pan and cook chicken on high for 3-4 minutes. While chicken is browning, slice peppers and add to wok/frying pan. Continue cooking on high for another 5 minutes.

3. While chicken and peppers are cooking, assemble sauce. In a small sauce pan combine ketchup, vinegar, sugar, pineapple juice, garlic and soy sauce. On low-medium heat stir until all ingredients are mixed and sugar is completely dissolved. Add cornstarch and bring sauce to boil for a minute or until sauce begins to thicken.

4. Add sauce to chicken and peppers and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes.

5. Slice Mango. Add mango immediately before serving and give a couple of stirs so the mangos are mixed in.

Main Course