Grilled Mango Pineapple Chicken (Printable)
Sweet, tangy grilled chicken with mango, pineapple, lime and ginger—marinated and charred for juicy, tropical flavor.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Marinade
04 - 1 cup fresh mango, diced
05 - 1/2 cup fresh pineapple, diced
06 - 2 tablespoons honey
07 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
08 - 1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce (gluten-free)
09 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
10 - 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
11 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
→ Garnish
12 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
13 - Fresh mango and pineapple pieces for serving
14 - Lime wedges
# How To Make:
01 - In a blender or food processor, combine the diced mango, diced pineapple, honey, lime juice, tamari soy sauce, minced garlic, grated ginger, and smoked paprika. Blend until completely smooth.
02 - Transfer 1/4 cup of the blended marinade to a small bowl and set aside for basting during grilling.
03 - Place the chicken breasts in a large resealable plastic bag or shallow dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the chicken, ensuring all pieces are evenly coated. Seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours for more pronounced flavor.
04 - Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
05 - Remove the chicken from the marinade and gently pat dry with paper towels. Brush both sides with olive oil and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
06 - Place the chicken on the preheated grill and cook for 6 to 7 minutes per side. During the final 2 minutes of cooking, baste generously with the reserved marinade. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F when checked with a meat thermometer.
07 - Transfer the grilled chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice against the grain, plate, and garnish with fresh cilantro, additional mango and pineapple pieces, and lime wedges.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The marinade doubles as a basting sauce so nothing goes to waste and every bite is packed with tropical flavor.
- It comes together in a blender which means practically zero prep mess and you can marinate the chicken while you handle everything else.
02 -
- Do not skip reserving that quarter cup of marinade before it touches raw chicken because you need a clean batch for basting.
- Over marinating beyond four hours can actually break down the chicken texture and make it mushy from the fruit enzymes.
03 -
- Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before marinating so they cook uniformly and you avoid dry thin ends with thick undercooked centers.
- Let the chicken sit at room temperature for about fifteen minutes before grilling because cold chicken straight from the fridge cooks unevenly on a hot grill.