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!
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Nicole Hutchison 10.11.2013
This SAUCE/DRESSING looks and sounds delicious. I love making homemade BBQ sauce (my family has had a secret recipe for four generations and I didn’t get it until three years ago!) and I’m definitely going to try this new recipe! I love sweet-n-spicy and you can’t go wrong with chipotle and mango. YUM!
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Alicia M 08.15.2013
This was absolutely delish!!! I just wish I knew how many calories it was. All Well!
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Meredith 06.05.2013
Made this on Monday, and it was a huge hit. Looking forward to using the rest of the Mango BBQ sauce in the upcoming weeks!
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heather 02.27.2013
what could i use to substitute apple juice? im allergic, so would love an alternative. thanks!
Tricia 09.24.2012
Made this on Friday night and absolutely loved it. Two things: I’m not a wuss, but next time I will only use one chipotle pepper (hot! but BF loved it that way); and, I don’t recommend grilling the chicken breasts in the dark lol. Other that than, won’t change a thing. (sidenote: I cut up extra mango and made your mango salsa recipe to have the next day…one of my faves)
Hannah 08.28.2012
Tried this last night!
It was very good! The BBQ sauce had a strange texture… almost like apple sauce.. maybe I just didnt process it long enough? Anyways.. overall really good! My husband loved the chicken.. but not the dressing. If your lover and kiddos don’t like greek yogurt, plain ole ranch is a nice substitute! Just add a little adobo sauce for an extra kick!
Elizabeth 08.07.2012
My husband and I made this last night- it was SO tasty! We actually cut up an additional mango and added it to the salad- delish! Thanks for the recipe!
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Zakia 07.25.2012
do you think the leftover sauce can be frozen?
Iowa Girl Eats 07.26.2012
I’m sure it could!
Debbie 07.18.2012
This is simmering on my stove top now. Smells delicious. Do you know how long the left over sauce lasts in the fridge?
Iowa Girl Eats 07.19.2012
I kept mine around for a couple weeks!
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Karen4Gators 07.03.2012
I LOVE THESE! I’ve made them three times – twice with peaches and once with a mango. I think I prefer the peaches. The first time I made it, I didn’t have any yogurt for the dressing so I used mayo and it was still incredible. I also sprinkled chopped green onions over the top of the salad. Next time I try this, I’m going to add avacado. Yummmmmmm.
Thanks for the recipe! I love your site.
Allie Hawthorn 06.24.2012
I made this for dinner tonight – great summer Sunday meal! Thanks!!
Dietitian girl 06.17.2012
I’m making Mango-Chipotle chicken for my dad today (father’s day!) and I’m THIS excited!!!
Question – do you have any other recipes for the remaining chipotles in adobo sauce?
Iowa Girl Eats 06.19.2012
You can use them in Chipotle Black Bean Burgers:
https://iowagirleats.com/recipes/?recipe_id=6026910
Or these slow cooked Pork Carnitas recipes are AWESOME:
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/03/mexican-slow-cooked-pork-carnitas.html