This South African chutney chicken takes mere minutes to prepare and the result is tasty, sticky roasted chicken, perfect for a quick and easy meal.
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I grew up loving Indian chutneys like mango and brinjal pickle. While we may not have always had the most authentic curries at home, I did love that we usually got the jars of pickle out to serve alongside.
My kids have taken a liking to mango pickle as well - probably because it's much like a jam. So, I decided to try this South African dish on them since it combines some favorites.
Ingredients in chutney chicken
On the face of it, the sauce might seem a bit of a strange combination. Mayonnaise and chutney don't automatically feel like they go together. But it's a combination that does, indeed, work. Especially with the little extra zing from Worcestershire sauce.
Traditionally, this would normally be made with Mrs Balls chutney which is a South African staple. It's a very old company that has been making a peach chutney to a secret recipe that has become well loved. While you can find it in some places, if you can't get your hands on it, an Indian-style mango chutney also works well.
All you do is soften the onion and garlic then stir through the chutney, mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce. Pour the mixture over your chicken then bake.
Top tip: soften the onions
It's worth taking the time to soften the onions first to bring out their natural sweetness and saves having a harsh flavor, which you might get otherwise.
The Worcestershire sauce isn't intended to take over flavor-wise, it just to help give a little 'bite' to the sauce. You could also use lemon juice if you prefer.
Many recipes say to place the chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet, but I think it also works well in a baking dish. That way, you keep the juices from the chicken which taste pretty great with your rice.
That said, it probably becomes a little bit stickier and with slight crispy bits if cooked on a baking sheet. Or at least a larger dish. Cook as you prefer and have, I say!
This dish works well served with rice, either plain or South African yellow rice, or some other starch to soak up any sauce. Then a simple salad or some cooked greens or green beans give a nice balance of flavors etc too.
This South African chutney chicken is all about easy, tasty flavors perfect as a weeknight meal. It comes together quickly with minimal hands-on work for a meal that's easy to enjoy.
Try these other tasty chicken recipes:
- Aji de gallina (Peruvian chicken stew)
- Goat cheese stuffed chicken with added cranberries and spinach in the stuffing)
- Taiwanese three cup chicken (with a tasty soy-sesame-rice wine glaze/sauce)
- One pot lemon garlic chicken with vegetables
- Opor ayam (an aromatic Indonesian coconut chicken curry)
- Plus get more South African recipes and main dishes in the archives.
Chutney chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lb bone in chicken thighs (with skin), 480g, approx 5-6 thighs depending on size (can use a bit more)
- ½ onion or 1 small
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or other neutral oil
- 5 tablespoon mango chutney or Mrs Balls peach chutney, if you can get it
- 5 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F/200C. Arrange the chicken, skin side up, on a foil-lined baking sheet/tray with a reasonably depth side or baking dish in a single layer. Pat them dry.
- Finely chop the onion and garlic. Warm the oil in a skillet/frying pan and cook the onion and garlic in it for around 3-5 minutes until softened but not browning.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and add the chutney, mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well to mix. Pour the mixture evenly over the top of the chicken thighs.
- Place the baking sheet/dish in the oven and bake for around 40-45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the glaze is sticky and may be slightly browned in places on top.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Judith says
Can I substitute chicken breasts for the thighs?
Caroline's Cooking says
Yes you could, just remember they will cook faster (especially as I use bone-in thighs here) and can end up a little drier if you cook too long. I'd suggest cooking them for 20 minutes then check to see if they are cooked through or need a little longer.
Holly says
I was leery of the mayo and chutney combination, but I am always up to trying new things and this recipe intrigued me. I am so glad I made it. It was delicious and a nice change from our boring chicken repertoire. Plus it was really simple to prepare!
Caroline's Cooking says
Glad to hear you enjoyed, and yes I know it sounds unusual but does indeed work!
abheda says
i can attest to the yum of this:)
my mum made this as a special christmas dish in my childhood, and rarely elsewise. i noshed with relish every miraculous time it appeared on the table and wished, deeply, it would appear more often.
as an adult, learning to cook, i asked my mum how to make it. by then i was mature, living in another country, long, long and far away from the chicken dish i loved and ate so rarely.
my mum told me it was chutney and mayonnaise. i asked how much of each and she said the same amount of each, about a cup in total. i asked how she applied it. she said she slathered it on and baked it.
that was the extent of the recipe instruction.
well, i had a go. it was a disaster.
a mucky, wet gloop of pale whitish ick with brown chunks. nothing was crisp. nothing was tangy, tasty, sweet and sour, complex, savoury, delicious. the chook was cooked, yes, but the dish was a culinary catastrophe, not at all the mouth droolingly ZING of intertwined yums and crisp, juicy, chewy textures my body recalls vividly, even now.
now i understand why not!
caroline, thank you! i followed along the actual ingredients and process and yes!! that's it!!
sweet sweet miracle! 😀
Caroline says
Oh that's so wonderful to hear that it worked out well - glad it brought back those tasty memories, too! It can be tricky with those handed-down recipes, I have some family ones that are a bit vague as well.