Chef Mair’s Easy Meals: Chili Mango Chicken
Introducing our newest guest blogger: Brandon! Brandon (Chef Mair) is a recent graduate of Georgia Tech’s Mechanical Engineering program. He currently works for Texas Instruments in Dallas and he loves to cook!
A couple times a month, he will share quick, easy, and inexpensive meals with our readers. Young adults are sometimes reluctant to cook (too much time, cooking for one, etc.). However, Chef Mair will provide his spin on meals that Gen Yers will enjoy preparing and are sure to enjoy!
Jessica Ebony
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I am not your ordinary cook. I only began cooking the last two years since I graduated from undergrad and moved to Dallas. I used to hate watching relatives cook as a child but now I realize cooking isn’t that hard! All you have to do is follow the directions and add a little bit of your own spice and you can make delicious (and cheap) meals.
Chili Mango Chicken
This recipe (from Men’s Health Magazine) will amaze whoever you cook it for and it doesn’t take too long to make! I am a big fan of recipes like this one that include exotic flavors and spices that you don’t run into everyday.
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped into 1/2″ pieces
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
1/2 Tbsp peanut or canola oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 Tbsp grated or minced fresh ginger
2 cups sugar snap peas
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and chopped
1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce (preferably sambal oleek)
Black pepper to taste
(makes 4 servings total)
1. I bought a regular chicken breast package (~2lbs), where I used 1 and ½ chicken breasts cut into small ~1/2 inch cubes. Make sure you don’t cut too chunky or it will be harder to cook middle of meat. To save time, cut/chop all ingredients before you begin to cook.
2. I marinated the chicken in a big bowl with the cornstarch, soy sauce, and sesame oil. I added a couple drops of vanilla extract (just because I like it) and some extra soy sauce. Let the chicken marinate in there for at least 10 mins.
3. While the chicken is marinating, start to sauté the vegetables. Throw the ginger and onions into a large skillet or wok and let it cook on high until the red onions become transparent. After they become clear, you can then throw in the snap peas. Make sure to keep the vegetables in constant motion.
4. After the chicken has marinated in sauce for at least ten minutes, place into its own skillet and let cook until its a nice golden brown on the outside. The marinade really helps to seal in the tenderness of the chicken.
5. Now, add the chicken, mango, and chili sauce to the skillet with vegetables and let soak up the flavors of the mango and chicken. I would actually add almost double the chili sauce proportions to give more flavor and kick.
6. Once you feel the flavor of all the ingredients has been released, add a little pepper and salt to taste. It’s best to serve on a bed of white rice, which also helps to accentuate the chili mango chicken.
Now it’s time for the best part….time to eat and enjoy your delicious Chili Mango Chicken meal! The chicken should be extremely tender and the chili sauce and marinade should provide a unique medley of flavors that will take your taste buds for a ride.
*Remember, as always, kiss the cook!
-chefMAIR
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