Next Post
Dad’s Easy Cheesy Eggs with Chili Butter.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
This colorful Chili Crisp Chicken Mango Cucumber Rice Bowl is full of Thai flavors and so simple. Made with flavorful Thai curry paste and doused in a chili crisp butter sauce. The chicken is cooked until caramelized around the edges then added to bowls of rice. A fresh, bright mango herb salad is spooned overtop for a balance of spicy, sweet, and savory flavor. Altogether, it’s so delicious.
Come late spring, I find the most inspiration from fresh herbs and flowers. The perkiness of their leaves and their bright colors give me so many ideas. Their inspiration is a welcomed change of pace after a very white and cozy winter.
Where we live in Colorado, it’s just barely starting to get green. There’s still a fair chance we’ll get a sprinkling of snow. We had a snowstorm on June 18th a couple of years ago. I’ve even seen it snow after a beautiful warm day on the night of July 4th…you just never know around here. But even the slight glimpse of growth and warmer days has brought me new ideas.
Whole Foods was filled with fresh herbs last week and I snatched up every last one. I had an abundance of fresh basil, cilantro, and mint, and plenty of sweet mangos. So this recipe kind of just built itself.
It turned out to be everything I had pictured in my head and the flavor was better than I’d imagined. Plus, these bowls are the easiest to make. Lots of chopping I guess, but otherwise, simple.
All this to say, I love today’s recipe!
Details – start with that mango herb salad
This is my thing, my favorite! Lots of ripe fresh mango, so many fresh herbs, refreshing cucumber, toasted seeds, a little spice from a serrano pepper, and a simple lime dressing.
Just toss everything together in a bowl, no fancy steps.
The chicken
It’s a little crispy, a little spicy, but simple. Toss it up with some arrowroot or cornstarch to help with the crispiness. Then cook it up with Thai red curry paste and a splash of fish sauce.
You can certainly use tamari or soy sauce too, but I love fish sauce.
And the chili crisp butter, make sure it’s a high-quality grass feed butter for best flavor. I love Straus Organic European butter. Then just cook the garlic and chili flakes in the butter until golden and crisp.
Finish it up
Lots of rice, then the chicken. Spoon the butter over the chicken, then top each bowl with the mango salad.
Enjoy immediately…and that’s it! This takes less than an hour to make and it’s not only delicious but fun! All those fresh herbs really make a difference.
Looking for other quick weeknight dinners? Here are some favorites:
Coconut Popcorn Chicken with Sweet Thai Chili Lime Sauce
30 Minute Sticky Thai Meatballs with Sesame Noodles
Better Than Takeout Sweet Thai Basil Chicken
Lastly, if you make this Chili Crisp Chicken Mango Cucumber Rice Bowl, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Chili Crisp Chicken Mango Cucumber Rice Bowl
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 531 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Mango Salad
- 1 mango, diced
- 2 Persian cucumbers, chopped
- 1 Serrano or jalapeño pepper, seeded and sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh mint or basil, torn
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 3 tablespoons mixed sesame and/or sunflower seeds
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 avocado, cubed
Chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup Thai red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce, tamari sauce, or soy sauce
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
- chili flakes
- 3-4 cups cooked rice
Instructions
- 1. To make the salad. Combine the mango, cucumbers, serrano pepper, cilantro, basil, and green onions in a bowl. Toss with olive oil, vinegar, and lime juice, and season with salt. Add the avocado and toss lightly. Sprinkle the sesame and/or sunflower seeds overtop.2. In a bowl, toss together the chicken and cornstarch (or arrowroot powder). 3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Thai red curry paste and cook 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the chicken and toss to coat in the curry paste. Cook until the chicken becomes crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the fish sauce or tamari/soy sauce.4. Meanwhile, in a small skillet melt together the butter, garlic, and a pinch of chili flakes. Cook until the butter is browning and the garlic crisps.5. Spoon the chicken over the bowls of rice. Pour the garlic chili butter over the chicken. Top with the mango salad. Enjoy!
This was amazing! Like summer in a bowl!
Thanks so much Marian!! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed:) Have a great Tuesday! xx
Wow!!! This was so incredibly delicious! I didn’t have any cilantro, so I used both fresh basil and mint, and it tasted great I will make it again and again! Thank you!
Hey Lynn,
Fantastic!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! ?Tieghan
Sooo good! I’m wanting to make this for a second time tonight, but I only have lemons and no limes. Do you think a lemon would substitute well here?
Thanks!
Hey Kelsey,
Happy Wednesday!! I so appreciate you giving this recipe a try and love to hear that it was enjoyed! Sure, lemons would be just fine for you to use. Thanks for your feedback:) xT
This was fantastic! My whole family loved it! Tasted like summertime.
Hey Erin,
Thanks for your feedback! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it:) Have the best week! xxT
Oh my gosh! Delicious! A few steps, but worth it! I did make coconut rice and added fresh cooked corn kernals to the salad. SO GOOD!!! Thank you!
Hi Joyce,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!? xTieghan
This recipe is absolutely amazing and will be added to our weekly rotation. It is the perfect dish for summer. It’s light but so comforting. The combination of cilantro, mango, and curry really make this dish!
Hey Emily,
So glad to hear you enjoyed the flavor combos in this recipe, it’s a family fave over here:) Have a great week! xTieghan
I don’t know how you do it, but you always manage to put together ingredients and flavors that make the palette sing. This dish was incredible. It had so much flavor and the sweetness of the mango balanced the heat of the jalapeños and chili flakes perfectly. I loved all the textures too! I will definitely be making this again.
Hey Diana,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Thanks for your kind message! xTieghan
We just finished this amazing dish my husband wants it again tomorrow❤️
Hey Lisa,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for sharing your review and making this recipe. Love to hear that it was a winner! xxT
I am allergic to tropical fruit….what would be a good sub for mango?
Hi Connie,
To be honest, I’m not really sure what falls under that category….can you use pineapple? That would work well, you could also use peach! Let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Omg this recipe was AMAZING! So packed of flavor and so dang delicious. Do not skip the brown butter step, sent the chicken over the top! I was literally scraping pieces off the pan because I couldn’t get enough. I made this with coconut rice and did one less tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in the mango cucumber salad. Thanks for another great recipe Tieghan!
Hey Veronica,
I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for making it and sharing your review! xTieghan
Amazing!
Hi Jen,
Happy Monday! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it and sharing your feedback!! Have the best week:) xx
Do you think some sort of steak/red meat would work as a substitute for chicken? Or maybe shrimp?
Hey Samantha,
Totally, any of those would be a great option!! Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
The best meal I’ve had in a while! It was so delicious, the spice was perfect, and it was simple to make. Loved it so much, it went back on the meal plan for next week!
Hi Allie,
Happy Friday! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback and trying this recipe out! Love to hear that it was enjoyed:) xxTieghan
I made this for my family and it was a big hit. The flavors were delicious, my husband particularly loved the salad. I book marked this and will make it again soon. Thank you!
Hi Amy,
Awesome!! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed! Thanks for making it and sharing your feedback:) xx
I made this last night and it is delicious!! I only added sesame seed oil to the dressing and greens to the salad. I’m putting it in my rotation! Quick, yummy and healthy.
Hey Dana,
Thanks so much for your comment! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
Such a light nourishing dish! I especially love the mango salad, which in my opinion, really was the star of the recipe. We both actually went back for “a little bit” more. Thanks again for another great plate!
Hey Julie,
Thanks so much for your comment! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan