Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post
When you broil chicken thighs after marinating them in a lightly sweetened marinade, they become lusciously lacquered and gorgeously, irresistibly charred outside, while staying juicy inside. The mango-lime marinade in this recipe has a sweet-salty-savory-spicy balance without the heaps of refined sugar found in many similar store-bought marinades, thanks to the sweetness inherent in the tropical fruit.
MAKE AHEAD: The marinated chicken thighs need to stay in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
Mango-Lime Marinated Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
1 cup mango chunks (defrosted if from frozen)
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil, or other neutral-tasting oil
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
2 teaspoons Sriracha
3 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Fresh cilantro leaves, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving
Directions
Combine the mango, lime juice, fish sauce (to taste), oil, sugar, Sriracha, garlic and salt in a blender; puree to form a smooth marinade. Transfer to a quart-size zip-top bag. Add the chicken and seal, pressing as much air out of the bag as possible. Massage to coat, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
Position an oven rack 4 to 6 inches from the broiler element; preheat the broiler.
Place the chicken on a broiler pan, allowing some marinade to cling. Broil for about 8 minutes, then use tongs to turn the chicken over and spoon a bit more marinade on the second side. (Discard any remaining marinade, at this point.) Broil for about 9 minutes, until lightly charred around the edges and the chicken is cooked through.
Serve warm, with cilantro and lime wedges.
Makes 6 servings
Per serving: Calories 210; Total Fat 9g; (Sat Fat 2g); Protein 23g; Carb 8g; Fiber 0g; Cholesterol 105mg; Sodium 530mg; Total Sugar 6g
