Recently I was at a dinner hosted by Maille, an award-winning brand of Dijon style mustard that's been around for 265 years. Mustard was used in everything from cocktails to dessert. Mustard adds complexity and brightness and can be used in the background or front and center, it all depends on the dish. It also seems to balance out sweetness, adding pungency and acidity.
As luck would have it, the National Mango Board sent me a box of luscious mangoes and I was instantly inspired. Mangos and mustard! I'm happy to say this recipe for Mango Mustard Chicken was a smashing success from the very first try. The sauce of mango, sautéed onion, mustard and honey is tangy, sweet, spicy and so good you won't be able to stop eating it! The pungency of the mustard is tempered by the sweetness of the mango and honey. I bet it would be good on a roast pork loin as well.
A few years ago I learned not all Dijon style mustards are the same, some are sharper and some emulsify better than others. I highly recommend you use an imported French variety, such as Maille, because they work best in recipes. Read about my friend Sarah's trip to the Maille shop in Paris then try my recipe.
Note: Different mangos are available throughout the year. To learn about the different varieties, visit www.mango.org.
Mango Mustard Chicken Recipe
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon oil
1 chicken cut into 8 pieces (do not use the wings)
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons honey
1/4 cup Dijon style mustard, preferably Maille or imported French
1 mango, diced, a firm mango works well such as a Haden or Tommy Atkins
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat a large skillet, add oil to coat the pan and brown the chicken on all sides. Transfer the chicken to an oven safe baking dish.
Add onion and garlic to the skillet and sauté until transparent. Turn off the heat, then add honey, mustard and mango and stir until combined.
Pour the mango mustard sauce over the chicken pieces. Bake for about 30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees. Transfer pan drippings to a skillet and simmer until reduced, or serve as is.
Enjoy!
Amy Sherman is a San Francisco–based writer, recipe developer, restaurant reviewer and all around culinary enthusiast. She blogs for Epicurious , Bay Area Bites and Cooking with Amy .