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!
Try some of our other popular curries — this Yellow Chicken Curry, Instant Pot Butter Chicken, or Sweet Potato Coconut Curry Soup.
Mango Chicken Curry
The more uses I can find for mango, the better. It’s easily my favorite fruit so I’ll add it into whatever I can — sweet or savory! And since chicken curry is one of the go-to meals at my home, I decided mango needed to make an appearance in it.
I started with my favorite Coconut Curry Chicken recipe and took some inspiration from this recipe by Elise at Simply Recipes. A little bit of trial and error and I couldn’t be more excited with the outcome and to share this recipe!
Let’s 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 squeeze—ripe 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.
- I’ve tested this recipe with frozen mangos, and they work great! They’re picked ripe (not peak ripe to prevent mushiness) and add great flavor when fresh ones aren’t available.
Here’s 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 Kitchen®, 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 “soup” or “hot” 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. Maesri® is the tastiest but spicy, while Thai Kitchen® is mild and better for kids.
Serving Suggestions
Don’t 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.
- Kaffir lime leaves are one of our favorites. These leaves add a really nice citrusy flavor to this curry. They’re often tricky to find in a mainstream grocery store, so I purchase a bunch at a time and freeze them — they freeze beautifully! If you can’t find these leaves, add in some additional lime zest for an extra punch of citrus flavor.
- 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 naan or pita to serve on the side. We love Stonefire® naan.
- Dry-roasted and lightly salted cashews make a nice crunchy topping.
Storage
Mango Chicken Curry Storage
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
- Grilled Curry Chicken with coconut rice
- Lentil Curry with fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
- Sweet Potato Curry with spinach
- Chicken Curry Soup with sweet peas
- Vegetable Curry with loads of veggies!
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 fresh minced 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
Instructions
- Heat coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once melted/hot, add chopped onions and bell pepper. Sauté, cooking occasionally, until soft, about 7–9 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, 1–3 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 10–15 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 8–15 minutes. (Breast pieces are usually done around 8 minutes and thighs closer to 15—sometimes a bit longer depending on size.) Check doneness by using a meat thermometer or cutting into the largest piece of chicken—it 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 it’s not sweet enough, add a touch of sugar—flavors should sing! Serve curry over cooked rice and garnish plates with additional cilantro if desired. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Curry pastes vary from brand to brand in spiciness. I use Thai Kitchen®, which is mild and has a great flavor. I’ve also used Maesri® red curry paste, which is my favorite flavor-wise, but it’s 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 recipe—they’re 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 aren’t 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. Here’s an article outlining the best brands to use. I use Imperial Kitchen® since I can find it at my local grocery store. Use full-fat coconut milk for best flavor and thickness. Lite coconut milk won’t 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, 2–3 kaffir lime leaves, and fine sea salt.
Note 5: Foolproof and delicious basmati rice:
- Measure rice and rinse in a fine-mesh sieve until water runs clear.
- Place the rice in a bowl and cover it with water to soak for about 5–10 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, 5–6 minutes (taste test a piece to ensure tenderness to preference), then drain and fluff with a fork.
- Note that these cooking directions do not 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.
Love mangoes and plan to make this. Can I do it in a crockpot? I’d cook the sauce and put it and the chicken pieces in the crockpot but how long should I cook it for? Suggestions?
I haven’t tested this in the crockpot but I’ll definitely add it to my list! I did just publish these two delicious crockpot recipes you should try though! https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/crockpot-curry-chicken/ and https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/crockpot-butter-chicken/.
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 haven’t 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. I’d dial back the heat for a child.
Delish! I’m so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Jill! 🙂
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! 🙂
As your brother in law, all I have to say is…Wow! 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! 🙂