This Mango Chicken Curry has a rich, sweet flavor with a hint of spice. The secret? Blended mango in the coconut curry sauce plus extra mango in the dish!
authorโs note
One Bite And Youโre Hooked!
The more ways I can use mango, the better. Itโs easily my favorite fruit, and Iโll add it to anything I canโsweet or savory. Since chicken curry is a go-to meal at my house, I knew mango had to make an appearance.
I started with my favorite Coconut Curry Chicken recipe and took some inspiration from Elise at Simply Recipes. After a bit of trial and error, I couldnโt be more excited about how it turned out and to finally share it with you!
Letโs Chat Mangoes
- I love honey mangos (Ataulfo/yellow mangos) in this Mango Chicken Curry for their sweeter, creamier texture, but regular mangos work too.
- To check ripeness, gently squeezeโripe mangos give slightly. They soften as they ripen and continue ripening at room temp. Once perfectly ripe, move them to the fridge to slow ripening.
- For a sweeter curry sauce, use peak-ripe mangos. For a spicier sauce, use firmer mangos.
- Iโve tested this recipe with frozen mangos, and they work great! Theyโre picked ripe (not peak ripe to prevent mushiness) and add great flavor when fresh ones arenโt available.
Hereโs a quick visual guide on how to cut a mango.
Quick Tip
I love buying a flat of mangoes from Costco (6-8 per tray) to use all week. Try a few in this curry and the rest in Mango Salad, Mango Sorbet, Mango Smoothie, Mango Chicken, or Mango Salsa.
Mango Chicken Curry Tips
- Look for canned coconut milk (not refrigerated) in the international aisle. I use Imperial Kitchenยฎ, but any full-fat kind works best. Avoid lite (too thin), cream of coconut (too sweet), and coconut cream (too thick).
- Cook the spices first to bring out more flavor.
- When blending, secure the lid and use the โsoupโ or โhotโ setting. Since heat expands, start slow and remove the lid carefully. No hot setting? Cover with a folded towel instead.
- Red curry paste adds big flavor. Maesriยฎ is the tastiest but spicy, while Thai Kitchenยฎ is mild and better for kids.
Featured Comment
โI made this for Valentines dinner and wow it is amazing. Just the right amount of flavour and nice thick sauce. Restaurant quality for sure, if not better.โ
โ Lezanne
Serving Suggestions
Donโt skip the toppings! They are what pull everything together in this curry!
- Fresh, finely chopped cilantro adds a burst of freshness. Basil (Thai basil if you can find it) is also a great herb to top this Mango Chicken Curry!
- Fresh-squeezed lime juice adds a hit of needed acid.ย
- Kaffir lime leaves are one of our favorites. These leaves add a really nice citrusy flavor to this curry. Theyโre often tricky to find in a mainstream grocery store, so I purchase a bunch at a time and freeze them โ they freeze beautifully! If you canโt find these leaves, add in some additional lime zest for an extra punch of citrus flavor.
- ย A scoop of coconut yogurt on top adds some coolness, additional texture, and flavor to the curry.
- Roti bread is a traditional side for this Thai-inspired curry, but I often have a hard time finding it. So, while not traditional, we love toasted naanย or pita to serve on the side. We love Stonefireยฎ naan.
- Dry-roasted and lightly salted cashews make a nice crunchy topping.
Storage
Mango Chicken Curry Leftovers?
One of my favorite things about curry recipes is how well they store! Leftovers only get more and more flavorful as they sit. Store any leftover curry in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat over low heat, adding a splash of chicken stock/broth or coconut milk as needed to thin the sauce.
Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost fully in the fridge before reheating on the stovetop.
More Delicious Curry Recipes:
Dinner
Grilled Curry Chicken
Dinner
Lentil Curry Recipe
Dinner
Sweet Potato Curry
Soups And Stews
Chicken Curry Soup
Mango Chicken Curry
Mango Chicken Curry is a sweet, flavor-packed dish with a secret: blended mango in the coconut curry sauce and extra mango stirred in at the end!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 large yellow onion chopped, 1-1/2 cups
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons garlic coarsely chopped
- 3 tablespoons red curry paste see note 1
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons yellow curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 cups ripe mango see note 2
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk full-fat, see note 3
- 1-1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces; I love thighs best
- Optional additions see note 4
- Cooked rice see note 5, for serving
Instructionsย
- Heat coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once melted/hot, add chopped onions and bell pepper. Sautรฉ, cooking occasionally, until soft, about 7โ9 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook for another minute. Add red curry paste, coriander, curry powder, cumin, and salt to taste (I add 1 tsp salt). Cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant, 1โ3 minutes. Reduce heat slightly and add a touch more oil if anything is sticking too much.
- Add 1 cup of the mango and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Vigorously shake the can of coconut milk and pour it in. Increase heat to high, bring to a boil, then lower heat to a low simmer and cook for 10โ15 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Once the mixture has simmered, carefully transfer the sauce to a blender. Blend the sauce (see note 5) until completely smooth, then return the sauce to the pot.
- Heat sauce over medium-low, returning it to a low simmer. Once simmering, add chicken and stir through. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 8โ15 minutes. (Breast pieces are usually done around 8 minutes and thighs closer to 15โsometimes a bit longer depending on size.) Check doneness by using a meat thermometer or cutting into the largest piece of chickenโit should be white throughout.
- Once chicken is cooked through, reduce heat to the lowest setting and stir in the remaining 1 cup mango. If using, add in chopped cilantro (I add about 1/3 cup, finely chopped), zest and juice of a lime, fish sauce, and/or kaffir lime leaves if using. Taste and adjust curry seasonings to preference. Add salt if needed. If too sweet, add a touch more fish sauce, and if itโs not sweet enough, add a touch of sugarโflavors should sing! Serve curry over cooked rice and garnish plates with additional cilantro if desired. Enjoy!
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Curry pastes vary from brand to brand in spiciness. I use Thai Kitchenยฎ, which is mild and has a great flavor. Iโve also used Maesriยฎ red curry paste, which is my favorite flavor-wise, but itโs a lot spicier. When making Mango Chicken Curry for my kids, I use Thai Kitchen.
Note 2: Honey mangos (Ataulfo or yellow mangos) are my favorite for this recipeโtheyโre sweeter and creamier than regular mangos, but either works well. Ripe mangos give slightly when squeezed. For a sweeter curry, use fully ripe mangos. Frozen mangos are also a great option when fresh ones arenโt available. Just chop the second cup into smaller pieces for better bite-sized chunks, as frozen mango pieces can be quite large.
Note 3: Look for shelf-stable, not refrigerated, cans of coconut milk.ย Hereโs an article outlining the best brands to use. I use Imperial Kitchenยฎ since I can find it at my local grocery store. Use full-fat coconut milk for best flavor and thickness. Lite coconut milk wonโt thicken as much. Cream of coconut is far too sweet, and coconut cream is too thick and overpowering for this curry.
Note 4: Optional additions: fresh lime juice and zest, fresh cilantro, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 2โ3 kaffir lime leaves, and fine sea salt.
Note 5: Foolproof and delicious basmati rice:ย
- Measure rice and rinse in a fine-mesh sieve until water runs clear.
- Place the rice in a bowl and cover it with water toย soak for about 5โ10 minutes.
- While rice is soaking, fill a large pot with water and set it to boil.
- Once water is at a rolling boil, drain the rice and add it to the pot.
- Cook without reducing the heat, 5โ6 minutes (taste test a piece to ensure tenderness to preference), then drain and fluff with a fork.
- Note that these cooking directionsย do notย work for other rice varieties (long grain, short grain, jasmine, etc.).
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 29mg | Potassium: 316mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 3607IU | Vitamin C: 71mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made a slow cooker version of this. My slow cooker has a brown/sautรฉ function, so I cooked the peppers and onions in the coconut oil as directed. Then I added the garlic, ginger and spices as the recipe directed. When that was ready, I added both cups of the fresh mango and the coconut milk and gave it a stir. (I also used a little brown sugar, fish sauce and the juice of one lime as suggested in note 4). I laid a couple of large chicken breastโs on top, turning a couple of times to coat in the sauce. Then I cooked it on low for 5 hours. It probably only needed 4. When it was done, I removed the breasts and cut it to bite sized pieces. I returned the chicken to the slow cooker and gave it another stir. I did not blend the sauce as I prefer a chunkier textured sauce. It came out fantastic.
This sounds amazing, thank you for sharing!! I love how you adapted it for the slow cooker and used the sautรฉ function to build flavor first. Such a great tip.
And Iโm with you on the chunky sauce, that sounds so good with the mango! Appreciate you taking the time to write this out, super helpful for others wanting a slow cooker version!
I made a slightly adapted version but it was still absolutely delicious! We had run out of fresh garlic so I substituted garlic powder. Also, I put 1 Tbs less of red curry paste. Divine! A definite on my cook list for the future. Blessings from NZ!! Xx
Iโm so thrilled this mango chicken curry was a hit! Thanks Sue!
Delicious! Everything about this recipe was perfection! And absolute must try!
Yay! Iโm so happy this Mango Chicken Curry was a hi! Thanks Suzanne!
Love mangoes and plan to make this. Can I do it in a crockpot? Iโd cook the sauce and put it and the chicken pieces in the crockpot but how long should I cook it for? Suggestions?
I havenโt tested this in the crockpot but Iโll definitely add it to my list! I did just publish these two delicious crockpot recipes you should try though! https://axis-framework.live/crockpot-curry-chicken/%3C/a%3E and https://axis-framework.live/crockpot-butter-chicken/%3C/a%3E.%3C/p%3E
Our whole family loved this recipe!! We served over rice and also dipped with naan bread!
Delish! So thrilled this Mango Chicken Curry was such a hit! Thanks Sally!
Would it be okay to make this recipe ahead of time and then freeze it? I have a lot of ripe mangoes I need to use up.
I havenโt tested it frozen yet but it should freeze just fine in an air tight container! Let me know if you give it a try!
I did make the recipe, it was so good there was nothing left over to freeze.
Haha so thrilled to hear this!
So delicious! I used Blue Dragon Red Thai Curry Paste, 3 Tbsp, and Kosa unsweetened coconut milk, black label (my go-to brand as its the creamiest) and shrimp instead of chicken. The sauce was a bit spicy, but the flavor under the heat was super. Iโd dial back the heat for a child.
Delish! Iโm so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Jill! ๐
This was delicious! I made it with leftover rotisserie chicken, which cut down my cooking time. Thank you for the recipe.
I am so thrilled to hear this! What a great tip! Thanks! ๐
As your brother in law, all I have to say isโฆWow! I could eat this curry for every meal!
Greetings from Australia. I made this for Valentines dinner and wow it is amazing. Just the right amount of flavour and nice thick sauce. Restaurant quality for sure, if not better.
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Lezanne! ๐