Mango Chicken, Paul Prudhomme style!

I have to admit. I don't think fruit and meat belong together. I hate it when the fruit breaks down and you lose the consistency. It makes you feel like you are eating mush. Not so with Paul Prudhommes mango chicken. He requires that you add the ingredients in waves, 3/4 of the onions at the beginning and the last 1/4 towards the end. I dig that because you have the flavor of the cooked down onions and the consistency of the fresh onions added later. I am all about consistency...if you haven't noticed.

Today was a rough day for me. I started off leaving my work lap top at home, realizing it when I was 30 minutes from home, had to turn around to go back for it and my gas light turned on. I was an hour late for work and when I arrived at work our computer systems were down ALL DAY so it wouldn't have really matter if I had it or not and it went down hill from there.

At the end of the day when I arrived home after an hour plus commute...my cute husband was waiting at the top of the stairs with sunflowers, two schnoops (our schnoop dogs Ruby and Alice) and the fixin's for Mango Chicken ready to cook up! I kid you not! LUCKIEST GIRL EVER! (in the voice of comic book guy from the Simpson's)

Let's get down to Mango Chicken business!

Mango Chicken:

Seasoning Mix:

2 tablespoons lightly packed dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground dried chipotle chile peppers*

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon ground dried guajillo chile peppers*

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground mace

*you can find these items in the mexican section of your grocery store.

1 (3-4 pound) chicken cut into 8 pieces - we used chicken tenders because they are already cut up.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

1 1/2 cups finely diced red bell peppers

2 bay leaves

8 finely diced fresh serrano chile peppers (we used 3 jalapenos and 1/2 a habenero - 'cause that is what we had on hand...I don't know why we had a habenero on hand, YIKES!)

3 1/2 cups chopped unpeeled eggplant - we used zucchini and it was FABULOUS!!!

1 1/2 cups chicken stock - we ALWAYS use bullion cubes. It is just easier

2 tablespoons tamari

2 large or 3 small ripe mangoes, peeled and diced

2 cups heavy cream.

Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the seasoning mix evenly over the chicken and rub it in well.

Heat the oil in a heavy 5-quart pot over high heat just until the oil beings to smoke, about 4 minutes. Brown the seasoned chicken in batches, large pieces first and skin side down first (we totally didn't have the skin on...it was chicken tenders!) about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside.

Add 1 cup of the onions, 1 cup of the bell peppers, the bay leaves, and the chile peppers to the pot. Cook stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes, then add 1 cup of the stock, the tamari, the mangoes, and the remaining onions, bell peppers, and seasoning mix. Stir well, then return the chicken and the accumulated juices to the pot. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot occasionally, for 12 minutes. Stir in the remaining stock and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes more. Stir in the heavy cream and cook for 4 minutes. Serve immediately.

HELLO YUMMY SPICY MANGO CHICKEN! If you are not into spicy food, you should substitute the serranos for anaheims or another mild chile. But seriously. This recipe is a perfect blend of heat, sweet from the mangoes and pure Paul Prudhomme flavor! This is definitely worth the combination of the fruit and the meat. You can serve this with rice, but it is just as good without.

This is the second time Alex and I have made this together and it is one of our favorites! Check it out and tell me what you think!