Blackened Chicken Tacos with Mango Salsa
These Blackened Chicken Tacos will shake up your Taco Tuesday! This juicy, blackened chicken is packed with flavor and piled onto tortillas, and topped with a refreshing, flavorful mango salsa. The chicken and salsa can both be prepped and made ahead of time for hassle-free entertaining!
What you’ll love about this recipe:
INGREDIENT NOTES
Mango: Make sure your mangos are ripe, but not overly ripe. Mangos should have a bit of give to them when pressed, but NOT too mushy. When mangos are in season (May to September), many stores will sell them pre-cut, which super handy!
Spices: The spices I list are my traditional blend of blackening spices. In a pinch, a store-bought blackening seasoning will work, too. You can even use Cajun or Creole seasoning.
HOW TO MAKE BLACKENED CHICKEN TACOS: STEP BY STEP
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with exact ingredients will be in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Combine ingredients for the mango salsa. Place it in the fridge and allow the flavors to marry. Then, with a meat mallet, pound out chicken breasts so they are even in thickness (about 1/2″ thick is perfect). Don’t skip this step! It helps the chicken cook nice and even.
Step 2: Coat chicken with the savory spices and cook about 5 minutes on each side until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Step 3: Spread refried beans onto warm tortillas. Then pile thin sliced chicken breast onto the tortillas and top with lots of mango salsa!
Confidence Tip
Warm your tortillas before piling on the chicken and salsa! Place tortillas in a warm skillet for about 15-30 seconds. Then flip, and warm the other side.
HOW TO STORE
- Storage: You can store both the blackened chicken and the mango salsa in separate airtight containers in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Additions & Substitutions
ADDITIONS:
- Toppings: A dollop of sour cream or a sprinkle of cotija cheese over the top of the tacos is delish!
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Cayenne Pepper: If you want the blackened chicken to be mild, simply omit the cayenne pepper or use chili powder instead.
- Fish: Make fish tacos! The mango salsa and blackening spices work so well with a nice, firm white fish such as cod or halibut.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Because of the beans, these tacos can stand on their own as a meal! You can also serve up some Mexican rice on the side or tortilla chips and this yummy pico de gallo!
Absolutely! In fact, I encourage it! You can make the salsa up to 2 days in advance and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge. Same with the blackened chicken. This makes for easy entertaining if you want to make this for friends and family (or a Cinco de Mayo party)!
The struggle is real! Here’s a great video with step-by-step instructions on How to Cut a Mango. Also, when mangoes are in season, many stores will sell them precut (lifesaver!!).
If all else fails, just make a quick pineapple salsa recipe by substituting pineapple for mango! Problem solved!
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TOOLS FOR THIS RECIPE
Check out all of my kitchen essentials in my Amazon store!
Cast-Iron Skillet: Cast iron gives the chicken great color. However, you can also use whatever large skillet you have.
Meat Mallet: For pounding out the chicken so it cooks evenly.
Meat Thermometer: The best way to ensure your chicken is cooked through.
TRY THESE NEXT…
I hope you love these Blackened Chicken Tacos with Mango Salsa! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Blackened Chicken Tacos with Mango Salsa
Ingredients
For the Blackened Chicken (See Note 1)
- 1 1/2-2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil olive oil and avocado oil work, too
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper can omit or use chili powder for a more mild flavor
For the Mango Salsa
- 2 ripe magoes, diced
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 jalapeño, finely diced seeds and membranes removed for a mild flavor
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- juice of 1 lime
- pinch of salt, to taste
For the Tacos
- 8 corn tortillas or small flour tortillas
- 1 cup refried beans, warmed
Instructions
- Prep: In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients for the mango salsa and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and let in hang out in the fridge so the flavors can marry while you prepare the chicken. Then, Place chicken breasts on a large cutting board. Cover with plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound out the breasts until they are uniform in thickness– about 1/2" thick is ideal.
- Season Chicken: Transfer chicken to a large bowl or plate. Season with blackening spices (smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, cayenne, dried basil, oregano and thyme). Rub the spice blend on well to make sure every nook and cranny is well-coated! Cover with plastic wrap and allow chicken to marinate for 30 minutes or up to overnight (if you are short on time you can skip this step, but I HIGHLY recommend it!).
- Cook: Heat a large skillet (a cast iron skillet or grill pan work great) over medium-high heat. Add oil. When oil is hot, place chicken breasts in the hot skillet. Cook, without touching the chicken until the first side is dark golden brown (about 5 minutes). Flip the chicken and brown the other side. Again, try to avoid touching or moving the chicken around too much, if possible. Cook chicken for an additional 5 minutes on the second side OR until the internal temperature reaches 165°F when tested with a meat thermometer. If the chicken is getting too brown/black on either side, feel free to flip it back and forth to allow it to cook through in the middle but prevent it from burning on either side.
- Rest: Place chicken to a plate and allow it to rest for about 5 minutes. Then, slice into thin strips.
- Finish: Spread 1-2 tablespoons of warm refried beans on each tortilla. Top with the juicy blackened chicken breast, and lots of the mango salsa! Squeeze on more lime juice, if you like!
This dish was absolutely delicious! Got rave reviews from the family!
These were so juicy and moreish! Absolutely loved by the family.
This dish is a burst of spice flavors and I love the combination of Mango salsa over it. Perfect for DInner time.
We had these tacos for dinner last night and they were amazing! Definitely adding to our regular rotation!
This looks delicious! And just in time for Taco Tuesday today. 🙂
Yummy! I would serve these with a side of tortilla chips and guacamole for a delicious family dinner. I love all the bold flavors you have going on in this tasty dish!