If you’re anything like me, you’re always searching for a way to spice up plain ‘ol chicken breasts for dinner. Well look no further my friends, as I’ve got a doozie of a recipe for you, just in time for the start of grilling season.
Chipotle Mango BBQ Chicken Salad – aka the end of boring chicken as we know it!
Chipotle-Mango BBQ Chicken Salad features a smoky-sweet homemade BBQ sauce that not only serves as something you’ll want to spoon drink, but also as a flavor-packed marinade for the anything but ho-hum grilled chicken sliced on top, and as an ingredient in the cooling salad dressing drizzle.
The sweet heat of the sauce is accented by pops of charred sweet corn, bursts of garden-fresh tomato, and herby chopped cilantro. All. The. Things!
Start the Chipotle-Mango BBQ Chicken Salad by making the Chipotle-Mango BBQ Sauce. I adore how simple this recipe is, the fact that it’s made with pretty much all pantry staples, and that it can be made ahead of time. Who knew making homemade BBQ sauce would be so easy?
The Ingredients:
- Ketchup
- Apple juice
- Rice vinegar
- Onion
- Mango
- Lemon
- Chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- Garlic
- Paprika
- Brown sugar
- Salt & pepper
- Canola oil
First add 1 chopped mango to a small saucepan over medium heat.
To the mango, add 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce,and 2 teaspoons of the adobo sauce. Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are smoked, dried jalapenos packed in a thick, spicy sauce. Chipotle peppers aren’t as hot as fresh jalapenos, rather they have a milder smoky heat. So yum.
You can find chipotles in adobo sauce in cans in the ethnic foods aisle of the grocery store. I usually only use 1 or 2 peppers per recipe (there’s like 8 in a can,) so I stash the rest in the freezer and pull one out when I need it.
Add the rest of the ingredients into the saucepan, then give them a good stir.
Let the sauce simmer for 15-20 minutes until it’s thick and luscious. Your kitchen will smell AWESOME!
Turn the heat off and allow the sauce to cool for 15 minutes or so, then transfer it to a food processor or blender.
If you are worried that the chipotle pepper will make the BBQ sauce too hot, take it out, then blend the sauce until smooth. I am a weenie when it comes to heat, and this wasn’t too hot, but you might want to take it out if you have small children.
That’s it! Next, marinate 2 chicken breasts in some of the sauce to be grilled anywhere from 15 minutes, to a couple hours later.
Now, not only is this mouthwatering Chipotle-Mango BBQ Sauce acting as a marinade for the grilled chicken going on top of the salad, but it’s also making up part of the salad dressing.
Oh yes. Simply combine 2 Tablespoons BBQ sauce with 2 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt, then add in a little lime juice, and season with salt & pepper. Stir, taste, and adjust the lime juice and/or seasonings if necessary.
I am SO obsessed with this stuff!!! A little spicy, a little sweet, a little tart, a lot tasty.
To finish the salad up, grill the marinated chicken breasts for 5-6 minutes a side, or until they’re no longer pink in the center.
Love that orange color from the chipotle pepper and paprika in the BBQ sauce.
Add a couple shucked ears of sweet corn on the grill (no butter or oil needed!) to char up next to the chicken. Just roll the ears every couple of minutes to get them evenly charred on all sides.
Finally, pile crispy romaine lettuce on a plate, top with chopped cilantro, tomato wedges, the grilled corn, and chicken, then drizzle with the Chipotle-Mango BBQ Sauce laced dressing!
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Chipotle-Mango BBQ Chicken Salad
Description
Chipotle-Mango BBQ Chicken Salad is chicken slathered in homemade chipotle-mango BBQ sauce.
Ingredients
- For the Chipotle-Mango BBQ Sauce (makes 2-1/4 cups):
- 1 mango, chopped
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1/4 onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 2 Tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon canola oil
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- For the dressing:
- 2 Tablespoons prepared Chipotle-Mango BBQ Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- 1-2 teaspoons lime juice (maybe more, maybe less)
- salt & pepper
- For the salad:
- 2 chicken breasts
- 2 ears sweet corn, shucked
- 1 vine-ripened tomato, cut into wedges
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 bag Dole Romaine Salad mix
Directions
- For the Chipotle-Mango BBQ Sauce: Combine all ingredients for Chipotle-Mango BBQ Sauce into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring often. Let cool then transfer to a food processor or blender, and process until smooth.
- For the dressing: Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl. Taste, then add more lime juice, salt and/or pepper if necessary.
- For the salad: Marinate chicken breasts in some of the prepared Chipotle-Mango BBQ Sauce for at least 15 minutes, or up to 3 hours. Grill over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes per side until no longer pink in the middle. Allow to rest for 5 minutes off the grill before slicing. Grill corn alongside the chicken, rotating every few minutes until charred on all sides. Let cool for a few minutes, then cut kernels off the cob.
- Divide lettuce between two plates, then top with grilled corn, tomatoes, cilantro, and grilled chicken. Drizzle with prepared dressing.
Notes
BBQ Sauce adapted from Tofu-N-Sprouts
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
SO GOOD! I can’t get over the smokey Chipotle-Mango BBQ Sauce which, despite having both mango and brown sugar in the ingredient list, is definitely not too sweet.
I may never buy BBQ sauce again!
Hope you’ll give this one a try!
Chelsea @ Chelsea Eats Treats 05.09.2012
Hahah of course you would eat it on a salad and your hubby would have it on a bun. All guys are the same!! Anyway, this looks so delicious and I really want to try that BBQ sauce! Yummmm!
Laura @ WyldeThyme 05.09.2012
LOVE the idea of using the BBQ sauce in the dressing too! The mango and chipotle sounds like a great combo!
Emilie @ Emilie's Enjoyables 05.09.2012
Nothing makes me happier than seeing fun chicken recipes on food blogs. It’s the truth that we are all looking for new and creative ways to cook those chicken breasts!
Alysha @Shesontherun 05.09.2012
If my salads looked like this, I’d definitely be making them more often!
J+H @ Beyond The Stoop 05.09.2012
the sauce sounds amazing!! this is totally on the menu for next week :D
i’ve been in a rut with salad dressings… i can’t stand buying it when it’s SO good to make it at home, but i’m in need of some new flavas!! chipotle-lime it is!!
cheers.
Janna 05.08.2012
YUM!Trying this recipe soon. It looks delicious! I recently made a mango-avacado salsa and served it over chicken and quinoa, and am on a mango kick!
Just found and started following you, I’m an Iowa girl now too! Loving all your healthy recipes and awesome pictures too!
Chipotle-Mango BBQ Chicken Salad aka The End of Boring Chicken … | Organic Rapeseed Oil 05.08.2012
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Michelle (Better with Berries) 05.08.2012
This looks AMAZING! I’ve never really tried cooking with mango, so I can’t wait to try it!
Ally's Sweet & Savory Eats 05.08.2012
You had me at homemade bbq sauce. Definitely trying this one, and the dressing with the greek yogurt. Thanks!
SWR 05.08.2012
Everything in this sounds amazing except for the fact that…i.hate.mango. Seriously. I can taste a mango from a mile away and it is no good. Do you think that this would work with peach instead of mango?
Lindsey 05.08.2012
Oh yes, peach would work great!
Iowa Girl Eats 05.11.2012
Peach or pineapple would both be delicious, I think!
beth 05.08.2012
my house is all packed up, including the grill, ready to re-locate to a new state. I think this will be the first thing I make in my new house/new grill/new deck/new state….new recipe to drool over!!!!
kelly 05.08.2012
Oh, boy, this looks good.
shandy 05.08.2012
Looks tasty!! I just got home from a new Des Moines store I think you should definitely check out some tme. It’s over in the Shops at Roosevelt and sells vinegars and oils of all different kinds…and they give you tastes (awesome!). It’s called Vom Fass. I can give you more info if you want, but didn’t want to come off as some spammy advertisement with links in here. :)
Iowa Girl Eats 05.11.2012
Is that in the old La Mie space? I heard it was really good too!
Sandi 08.05.2014
This looks delicious. I was wondering if it would be as good if I made everything up one night and then next day mix everything and add to lettuce wrap?
Kristin 08.21.2014
Sure!
j3nn 05.08.2012
Goodness gracious, that looks SO GOOD!
Blog is the New Black 05.08.2012
Looks like another winner from IGE!
Lauren 05.08.2012
Okay so this does look a little intensive to prepare but OH SO WORTH IT! Yum!
Juan Navarro 05.08.2012
Now that looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it.
Maura @ My Healthy 'Ohana 05.08.2012
Can’t wait to make this soon!! I’ve had a can of chipotles in adobo for a while, and now I know exactly what to do with it :)
Claire 05.08.2012
Looks amazing! I always need yummy chicken recipes, because my hubby HATES “plain old grilled chicken.” Can’t wait to try!
Hope 05.08.2012
This looks so delicious! I’ve never tried making homemade barbecue sauce, but I’m looking forward to trying this over the summer :)