START TO FINISH: 45 minutes
SERVINGS: 4
Curry spices and a lightly spicy mango-tomato relish infuse these quick-cooking chicken cutlets. We speed up the process by pounding the cutlets ¼ inch thick. We then seasoned them with garam masala, an aromatic Indian spice blend, before sautéing. The finished cutlets are paired with a mix of mangoes and cherry tomatoes brightened with ginger and jalapeño. If you prefer milder heat, remove the jalapeño seeds before mincing. If you can’t find cutlets, prepare your own from boneless, skinless chicken breasts that weigh about 7 ounces each. Remove the tenderloin from the breast using kitchen shears, saving for another use, such as chicken fingers. Use a sharp knife or the shears to trim away any fat. Place on a cutting board and lay a sheet of plastic wrap on top. Use a meat mallet or small, heavy skillet to gently but firmly pound the chicken to the proper thickness.
Don’t pound the cutlets if they’re ¼ inch thick right out of the package. They can be used as they are.
12- to 14-ounce ripe mango, peeled, pitted and finely diced (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons lime juice, divided
Four 5- to 6-ounce chicken breast cutlets, pounded to an even ¼-inch thickness
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2½ teaspoons garam masala, divided
3 tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 jalapeño chili, stemmed and minced
1½ cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
In a small bowl, toss the mango with the honey and 1 tablespoon of the lime juice. Set aside. Season the chicken on both sides with 1½ teaspoons salt and 1½ teaspoons of the garam masala.
In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the cutlets and cook until the second sides are golden, another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm.
Pour off and discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet and return the pan to medium. Add the onion, ½ teaspoon salt, the remaining 1 teaspoon garam masala and 2 tablespoons water. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits, until the onion has softened, about 4 minutes. Add the ginger and jalapeño, then cook, stirring constantly, until the moisture has evaporated and the mixture begins to stick to the pan, about 1 minute.
Stir in the tomatoes and the mango and its juices. Cover and cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until the mango has softened, about 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice and the cilantro. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the mango-tomato mixture over the cutlets.