Rich, sweet, silky mango paired with chile spiked, crispy skinned chicken. It’s a perfect study in contrasts: sweet v. salty, crispy v. silky, sweet v. sour. It’s not a knock down, it’s a love fest.
Still in the throes of Duc Tran’s Asian Fusion Confusion, I came home from Austin with a taste for mangoes. But, mangoes paired with heat and spice.
You should know, that in 4 days in Austin, I had a cumulative 8 hours of sleep, so Delirium may have been my muse. Turns out she can be such a lovely muse.
Crispy Chicken & Mango Salsa
Mango Salsa
1 perfectly ripe mango
1 fresh shiso leaf
Chopped garlic, ginger, onion
Dash of hot sauce
Fresh lime juice
Cut the mango into small cubes.
Thinly slice (julienne) the shiso leaf.
Finely mince a tiny bit of garlic, onion and ginger, add a small amount of hot sauce or chili pepper.
Toss together and moisten with fresh squeezed lime juice. You don’t want to cover or mask the sweetness of the mango, you just want to boost it.
Let the mango salsa sit for at least 20 minutes or the time it takes to cook the chicken.
Crispy Chicken
1-2 butterflied, boned, chicken legs
Dry rub: Equal parts salt, adobe chile, and smoked Spanish paprika
Preheat oven to 390F/199C. Use the convection oven option if you have it.
LIne a roasting pan with parchment paper. Lay the boned chicken legs on the pan and sprinkle with the dry rub.
Roast for about 20 minutes. Finish for the last 1-3 minutes under the broiler to crisp the skin.
Serve on a warm plate, with the cool salsa and have a fine time tonight! I’d recommend a light, fresh red wine like a grenache to make the dinner sing.
Buon appettio!