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Crispy Cornmeal Chicken with Mango-Peach Salsa
Four boneless chicken breasts get pressed into yellow cornmeal seasoned with salt and pepper, then pan-fried in vegetable oil until the coating turns golden and crunchy. While the chicken cooks, chopped peaches, mango, tomato, cilantro, and white vinegar come together into a fresh salsa that gets spooned over the finished pieces. The salsa is made entirely raw — no cooking required. Total time is 40 minutes for four servings.
Equipment
- Skillet
- Stovetop
Ingredients
- 3 medium peaches, peeled, chopped (1 ½ cups)*
- 1 ripe large mango, seed removed, peeled and chopped (1 ½ cups)**
- 1 large tomato, seeded, chopped (1 cup)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup yellow cornmeal
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ¼ lb)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- 1Combine the peaches, mango, tomato, cilantro, 3 tablespoons of oil, vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a large bowl. Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve. Letting it sit helps the flavors meld.
- 2Whisk the cornmeal, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper together in a shallow dish. Pat the chicken dry first so the coating sticks better, then dredge the breasts in the cornmeal mixture until evenly coated on all sides.
- 3Warm 2 tablespoons of oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the coated chicken for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through. The chicken is done when the juices run clear and the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Serve topped with the chilled fruit salsa.
Notes
- Swap: Substitute 3 cups of thawed, chopped frozen peaches if fresh ones aren't in season.
- Swap: Well-drained jarred mango slices work beautifully as a substitute for fresh mango.
- Make ahead: You can chop the salsa ingredients up to a day in advance and store them in the fridge.