Jerk Chicken With Mango Salsa
Tender jerk-seasoned chicken served over fluffy coconut-lime basmati rice with a fresh mango, red onion, cilantro, and lime salsa. The salsa is chilled briefly before serving for a cool, fresh contrast to the warm, spicy chicken.
Ingredients
Coconut-Lime Rice
Mango Salsa
Jerk Chicken
Instructions
Prepare the Mango Salsa
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Add the diced mango, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeño, and salt to a medium mixing bowl. Gently stir until everything is evenly combined without crushing the mango. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes while you prepare the rice and chicken. The salsa should be cool, juicy, and fresh when served.
Rinse the Rice
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Place the basmati rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse it under cool running water until the water runs mostly clear. Drain thoroughly. Rinsing removes excess surface starch and helps the finished rice stay light and fluffy rather than sticky.
Cook the Coconut Rice
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Add the rinsed rice, coconut milk, water, and salt to a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, stir once, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave it covered for 5 minutes, then fluff gently with a fork and stir in the lime zest.
Prepare the Chicken
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Slice thick chicken breasts horizontally into thinner, evenly sized cutlets. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, stir together the jerk seasoning, lime juice, olive oil, and salt to make a thick seasoning paste, then rub it evenly over both sides of the chicken.
Sear the Chicken
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Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange the seasoned chicken in a single layer, leaving a little space between each piece. Cook without moving it for about 4 to 5 minutes, until the underside is deeply golden and releases easily from the skillet. Flip and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the thickest part reaches 165°F.
Rest and Slice
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Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean cutting board and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. This short resting period helps keep the juices inside the meat when it is sliced. Cut the chicken across the grain into strips.
Assemble the Bowls
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Divide the warm coconut-lime rice evenly among 4 bowls. Arrange the sliced jerk chicken over the rice, then spoon the chilled mango salsa over or alongside the chicken. Serve immediately while the rice and chicken are warm and the salsa is cool and fresh.
Note
Use a ripe but still firm mango so the pieces hold their shape after mixing and chilling.
Jerk seasoning blends vary considerably in salt and heat. If your seasoning is particularly salty, reduce or omit the additional salt on the chicken.
Chicken breasts vary in thickness, so use an instant-read thermometer rather than relying only on cooking time. The center should reach 165°F.
For meal prep, refrigerate the cooked chicken and rice separately from the mango salsa. The chicken and rice can be stored in airtight containers for up to 4 days, while the mango salsa is best within 2 to 3 days.
Reheat the chicken and rice until thoroughly hot. Add 1 tablespoon water to each portion of rice before reheating if it has become dry. Keep the mango salsa chilled and add it only after reheating the other components.
