Feeling a little mango tonight?

Think beyond salsa when considering the delicious mango. The orange-fleshed, sweet fruit is brimming with polyphenols, powerful antioxidants that protect against colon, breast and prostate cancer. The tropical gem is also rich in vitamin A and its precursor, beta-carotene, both of which help maintain healthy mucus membranes and skin; potassium, an important part of cells and body fluids and a mineral that helps control heart rate and blood pressure; vitamin B6, vitamin C and vitamin E. Now do you see why I add it to my barbecue sauce?

This sauce is an incredible blend of sweet and tangy ingredients (onion, red pepper, jalapeno, cumin, cloves, cider vinegar, molasses, and more), creating a mouth-watering sauce that’s excellent with grilled chicken. It’s also fabulous on pork chops, tuna steaks, salmon fillets, shrimp, and flank steak.

Chicken with Mango Barbecue Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup diced red onion
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups diced mango (fresh or frozen)

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Cooking spray
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4 ounces each)

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook 2 minutes, until soft. Add the red pepper, garlic, jalapeno, cumin, cloves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute, until the spices are fragrant. Add the mango, ketchup, vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, and lime juice and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 3-5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a blender and process until smooth. Transfer 1/4 cup of barbecue sauce to a small bowl and set aside (this will be used on the chicken while grilling; the rest will be served at the table).

Coat a stove-top grill pan with cooking spray and preheat to medium-high. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on the hot pan and grill 3 minutes per side, until almost cooked through. Brush the mango barbecue sauce over both sides of the chicken and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes per side, until the chicken is cooked through. Serve the chicken with the reserved mango barbecue sauce on the side (so you can add more as desired).  

Serves 4