30-Minute Sesame Mango Chicken Teriyaki Recipe - Pinch of Yum
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30-Minute Sesame Mango Chicken Teriyaki

28 reviews / 4.6 average

Hi friends! And happy weekend.

I am coming to you live on a Saturday morning because this 30-Minute Sesame Mango Chicken Teriyaki is too good to wait any longer. It’s a special day when I can find a chicken recipe that I actually like – and that kind of special day is here once again.

We’ve got a lot of delicious but simple yums factoring into this recipe. Starting us off as the most important part of any recipe IMHO – the sauce. For me, and I hope for Pinch of Yum, good recipes are always always always about the sauce.

This homemade teriyaki sauce is thick and velvety, sort of like a take-out or store-bought teriyaki in terms of texture, but made from scratch in, like, two and a half seconds, without refined sugar and without cornstarch. Just whir that baby up in the blender and you’re donesies.

TRU STORY.

Sesame Mango Chicken Teriyaki in a bowl.
Sauce boiling in a pot.

The base of the sauce is made with medjool dates soaked in water and pureed with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and rice vinegar.  I KNOW, RIGHT?

It’s thick and sticky by nature, but it doesn’t have to stay that way – you get to take full control of sauce consistency (smooth and velvety? thick and clingy? perfectly dippable? whatchu like?) by adding some chicken broth during the quick simmer in the second part of the recipe.

For me, this sauce is a savory-sweet, lusciously smooth, refined-sugar-free and store bought alternative that is giving new meaning to the words CHICKEN TERIYAKI. I make a lot of recipes around here, and many of them don’t get to come back and visit very often because so much food // so little time, but I have no doubt that this will making regular reappearances at our house with, um, let me see, EVERYTHING. Roasted vegetables, grilled chicken, shrimp, edamame, rice bowls, fresh veggies, rice noodles of all shapes and sizes –> we are drowning in good food opportunities here.

A quick note about the fact that this is Sesame MANGO Chicken Teriyaki.

Meaning: Frozen mangoes. In a bag from Trader Joe’s. Get added to the recipe.

In my defense of frozen mangoes, a) we live in Minnesota and the fresh mangoes, uhhh, don’t exist here, b) frozen fruit is my favorite life hack of all time, and c) these TJ’s frozen mangoes are organic and absolutely DELICIOUS like you wouldn’t even believe that came from a freezer. Tryum.

Keepin’ it classy.

Pieces of mango.
Sesame Mango Chicken Teriyaki in a pan with forks.

Okay, so we’ve got the refined sugar free, made without cornstarch, super yummy savory-sweet, quick and easy teriyaki sauce (can you tell I love this sauce?) and the frozen mangoes, and the chicken, and now the final piece is topping these big bowls with whatever your heart tells you to top them with.

Sesame seeds. Green onions. Cilantro? Wouldn’t be mad if you did. Sesame oil. Fish sauce, because I’m weird and I think stuff like fish sauce tastes good on recipes like this. Lime juice. Mooooore things.

Your choice, friends! Top creatively and generously and enjoy your 30-Minute Sesame Mango Chicken Teriyaki bowls.

Sesame Mango Chicken Teriyaki in two bowls with rice.
Print
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Sesame Mango Chicken Teriyaki in bowls with rice.

30-Minute Sesame Mango Chicken Teriyaki


  • Author: Pinch of Yum
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 68 (nutrition is for one serving out of 8 using 2 lbs. chicken) 1x

Description

30-Minute Sesame Mango Chicken Teriyaki made with whole, natural ingredients and without refined sugar or cornstarch. Super quick and easy!


Ingredients

Scale

For the Teriyaki Sauce:

  • 15 medjool dates, pitted and soaked in 1/2 cup hot water (see notes – you can use sugar instead if you want)
  • 3/4 cup soy sauce, reduced sodium
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced, smashed, or in paste form
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth

Everything Else:

  • 1 yellow onion
  • 12 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts (see notes)
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • a generous pinch of salt and pepper
  • a generous pinch of chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 23 cups frozen mango chunks (fresh could also work)
  • sesame seeds, green onions, sesame oil, fish sauce, or limes for topping
  • cooked rice for serving

Instructions

  1. Get your rice cooking, if you’re serving this with rice. I always just start that in the rice cooker right away so it’s ready in time!
  2. In a food processor or blender, puree the soaked dates and their water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger. Continue to blend or process until very, very smooth. Set aside.
  3. Thinly slice the onion. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Combine the flour, salt, pepper, and chili powder in a shallow dish and dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture to get a light coating.
  4. Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large pan. Add the onions and stir fry for a few minutes. Add the chicken and stir fry for a few minutes until browned. Add the sauce and the broth (turn heat down to avoid splatter) – adding more broth if needed to thin out the sauce. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the mango chunks, stir, and cover and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
  5. Serve over rice topped with sesame seeds, green onions, sesame oil, fish sauce, lime juice, or anything else that strikes your fancy.

Notes

If you want an even sauce-to-chicken ratio, I’d suggest using 1 1/2 or 2 pounds of chicken. But if you wanted to add in some veggies and still have extra sauce to coat, then one pound of chicken would work.

If you want to use sugar instead, use about 1/2 cup. I’d suggest blending as directed and then slow simmering the sauce for a while to thicken it up and dissolve the sugar before adding to the pan with the chicken. 15 minutes or so should do the trick.

  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Category: Dinner
  • Cuisine: Asian-Inspired

Keywords: sesame mango chicken, mango chicken teriyaki, chicken teriyaki

PS. I didn’t even go there because there’s too much to say today, but we did get our new dog last night, and she’s here with us now, and I’ve had one panic attack so far because she ate part of a pig’s ear this morning without really chewing it before I swooped in and acted as Trying To Be Responsible Dog Mom by taking it away even though it was a little too late, but other than that, things are going really, really, REALLY well.

I can’t wait to introduce you to her sometime next week with a proper blog post!

Until then, you can catch the live dog updates as they happen on my Facebook VIP group (it’s a private group for my best friends and readers – request to join and I’ll add you! we are 600 strong and we have lots of fun.) and Snapchat! I did a 60-second story on the whole process of getting her yesterday and, I don’t know, I think it’s decently cute considering my total Snapchat dorkiness. I’m @pinchofyum. Do you even do an @ sign with Snapchat? okay, time to end this.

XO

30-Minute

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127 Comments

  1. Pinch of Yum Logo

    This looks absolutely mouth-watering! Genius move on the dates….and being a fellow Minnesotan I am with you on the frozen fruit!

    Can’t wait to try this! MMMmmmmm.

  2. Pinch of Yum Logo

    This recipe sounds like a whole lotta yum…not just a pinch! I’ve found fresh mango can be “iffy” even when in season and rely on frozen mango a lot; it’s a great product. And dates as the base for teriyaki sounds so perfect. I’m looking forward to trying this very soon.

  3. Pinch of Yum Logo

    This looks incredible! I’m always on the lookout for addictive and very easy chicken recipes and this one sounds like just that. I’m really excited to try this gorgeous recipe out!

      1. Pinch of Yum Logo

        Hi i really want to try this but can’t get hold of frozen OR fresh mangos. What would be a good substitute? Thanks

        1. Pinch of Yum Logo

          Actually I think it would still be good without the fruit. Just add more chicken so your sauce to chicken ratio is right. If you wanted to add vegetables, broccoli would be good.

          1. Pinch of Yum Logo

            Hi, Meredith! In the recipe notes, Lindsay says you can use white sugar as a substitute for dates. (“If you want to use sugar instead, use about ½ cup. I’d suggest blending as directed and then slow simmering the sauce for a while to thicken it up and dissolve the sugar before adding to the pan with the chicken. 15 minutes or so should do the trick.”)

  4. Pinch of Yum Logo

    WOWERS!! I would never, and I mean EVER, thought to use dates in this sauce. You are a genius Lindsay!! I need to sneak this in on my guy and see if he can tell, he hates dates sshhhhh don’t tell!!!

  5. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Hi.. this sounds great! Where can I purchase the Medjool dates? And can I buy just 15…or how are they packaged? I am in Iowa….wondering where to buy. We do have a Trader Joe’s (thank the dear Lord!)

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      You can buy different sized packages – it depends on where you shop. I usually buy big boxes of them at Costco – they will last quite a while in a cool, dry place and there are several desserts you could make with the leftovers! I can send you some if you want ideas. If you’re at a regular grocery store, they might have them in the produce section. Hope that helps!

  6. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Wow Lindsay this looks INCREDIBLE!
    I love your colors in the photos, the teriyaki sauce looks so incredibly easy. I also love food that you can put in a bowl in general, so this is totally up my alley.
    I’m excited for you and your puppy!! Puppies are so so wonderful and cute. Can’t wait to see your post about her! 🙂

  7. Pinch of Yum Logo

    This looks great and I’m not even usually that in love with flavors like this. May have to try to make it soon! I definitely have a lot of chicken to use.

    Can’t wait to meet the new puppy!

  8. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Congratulations on the new puppy! I hope she brings you lots of joy and I hope she doesn’t drive you too crazy, like mine does! Also, can’t wait to make this recipe. I love the combination of flavors here! 🙂

  9. Pinch of Yum Logo

    This looks delicious. Asian food it always the most difficult for me, so I’m always looking for great new recipes to get a better handle of it 🙂

    x
    Jess
    mossandmink.com

  10. Pinch of Yum Logo

    This looks amazing- I actually went out to TJ’s and bought their frozen pineapple when I was there yesterday just for the purpose of making this!

    -Kelsey

  11. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Can’t wait to try this. One quick question though. Does the nutrition facts include the rice?

  12. Pinch of Yum Logo

    This looks amazing! I love that homemade teriyaki.

    Also, how beautiful is Sage?? So happy for you and Bjork! I reaaaallly want a dog but my fiancé is such a cat person (and we already have SO MANY cats), so I’m going to have to live vicariously through you.

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      Thanks Becky! She is a joy! We are working on helping her feel more comfortable around strangers… I see socialization classes in our future. 🙂 Can’t wait to share more pics this week!

  13. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Love this recipe and have added to our list of meals to eat this week.
    How long would you recommend soaking the dates for?