Mango Lime Fried Chicken Wings w/ Peri-Peri Mango Sauce

These mango lime chicken wings are sweet, spicy, citrusy, and super crispy, with a no-fail breading method that sticks every time.

If you’re looking for tropical chicken wings with real flavour, with a sauce that actually tastes like mango (not just generic sweet/spicy), this recipe 100% delivers. Perfect for game day, parties, or just flexing in the kitchen.

Ingredients

For the Chicken Marinade (Serves 3–4, about 20 wings / 1–1.2kg)

• 1kg chicken wings (drumettes and flats, separated)

• 1 ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon crushed black peppercorns

• ½ teaspoon crushed mustard seeds (or 1 teaspoon of mustard)

• 1 ½ teaspoon garlic paste

• Zest of ½ a lime

• Juice of ½ a lime

• ½ teaspoon honey

• 2 tablespoons peri-peri sauce (I recommend making your own, my recipe is here)

• 1 teaspoon hot chilli flakes (the hotter the better, it actually enhances the mango)

• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

• 30g mango purée (or you can blend up fresh or frozen mango with any fruit juice or sugar water)

For the Dredge (Crispy Coating):

• 100g self-raising flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 35g rice flour

• 40g starch (you can use potato starch, tapioca starch, or cornflour/cornstarch — I used tapioca because it’s usually the cheapest of the three)

Dry seasoning:

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

• ¼ teaspoon ground mustard seed (optional)

• 1 tablespoon salt

Other:

• 1 egg (to mix into the marinated chicken)

• 500ml vegetable/sunflower/neutral oil

For the Mango-Peri Sauce (makes about 350ml)

• 210g mango purée

• 30ml water

• 15g sugar

• 50g peri-peri sauce

• ½ tsp mixed herbs

• ½ tsp hot chilli flakes

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp garlic-ginger paste

• Zest of 1 lime

• Juice of 1 lime

• ¼ tsp cornstarch mixed into 4 tsp cold water (cornstarch slurry to help thicken the sauce)

• 15g butter

• Sesame seeds for garnish

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Marinate the Wings

1. In a large bowl, toss in your chicken wings.

2. Add the salt, herbs, pepper, garlic paste, lime zest and juice, peri-peri sauce, chilli flakes, soy sauce, mango purée, and honey.

3. Mix thoroughly until every wing is fully coated.

4. Cover with cling film/seran wrap and refrigerate overnight (8–24 hours). Yep, you need to. Mango is subtle, if you want it to come through, it needs time to mingle with the lime and heat.

If want to air-fry, grill, or bake the wings instead of frying them, you can stop right here and cook it after you’ve marinated it. It'll still be amazing. But if you want that shatteringly crispy fried crust? Read on.

Step 2: Making the Dredge – A Coating That Actually Sticks

Let’s talk about the bane of my fried chicken journey for years: the coating that just would not stay on. I’d fry a supposedly perfect batch, only to find half the breading floating sadly in the oil or flaking off the moment it cooled. Heartbreaking. But over time (and a lot of mediocre wings), I figured out the issue: not enough starch, too much moisture, and no time to set.

This dredge is the solution to that. It’s built to be absorbent and clingy.

1. Whisk together the self-raising flour, baking powder, rice flour and starch together in a large container until evenly combined.

2. Now for the seasoning:

   I’m not really a spice absolutist; I don’t think your flour needs to read like the back of a spice rack or have lots and lots of it to taste good. Some of the best batches I’ve made were with just the essentials.

That being said, here’s what I used, which gives a balanced, savoury depth without overpowering the mango-lime flavour in the final dish:

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp ginger powder

• ¼ tsp finely ground black pepper

• ¼ tsp finely ground mustard seeds

• 1 tbsp salt
  

That’s a solid baseline. If you want to dial it up: white pepper adds heat without colour, smoked paprika gives depth, or a tiny bit of cumin can warm it up nicely. Just avoid anything too chunky or leafy like dried herbs or chilli flakes in dredges, they burn quickly at high heat and add bitterness.

Step 3: Prep the Wings for Frying

1. Remove your marinated chicken from the fridge, crack in 1 egg, and stir it through until the wings are evenly coated. The egg binds the flour and helps everything stick.

2. Set up your station:
   Eggy Chicken Bowl → Flour Bowl → Lined Baking Tray

3. One by one, take each wing and press it firmly into the dredge. Like, seriously press it in. Do this about 10 times per piece, rotating, patting, and making sure flour gets into every nook and cranny.

4. Shake off any major excess and place it on a parchment-lined baking tray.

Step 4: Rest the Wings

Once all wings are coated, pop the tray into the fridge uncovered for 45 minutes.

This step is crucial. The cool air dehydrates the surface and helps the coating form a dry, crispy crust. No moisture = No sliding off in the oil. Don’t skip. Don’t cover. Just chill.

Step 5: Making the Mango Peri Peri Sauce

1. Add the mango purée, water, peri peri sauce, herbs, lime zest and juice, sugar, chilli flakes, salt, and garlic-ginger paste to a small saucepan. Stir to combine.

2. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Simmering means small, lazy bubbles, not a full-on boil. Stir constantly while it heats to keep anything from catching at the bottom. We’re cooking this to wake up the spices, reducing the raw edge of the garlic-ginger paste, and encouraging the sugars from the mango to start concentrating and caramelising slightly. This should take about 5 minutes.

3. In a tiny bowl or cup, whisk your cornstarch/cornflour with cold water to make a slurry. Slowly pour in the slurry while stirring. After 30 seconds to 1 minute, the sauce should begin to thicken.

4. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the butter until it melts completely. This does two things: it gives the sauce a silky, velvety texture and rounds out all the flavours so the tang and heat don’t feel harsh.

5. Let it cool. It’ll thicken a bit more as it cools, that’s normal. You can store this in the fridge for a week or so, and it’s also amazing on grilled veggies, shrimp, or tossed through noodles.

Taste and adjust:
Too sweet? Add lime or vinegar.
Too thick? A splash of hot water.
Too runny? A little more slurry.

Sprinkle sesame seeds in once cooled for a finishing touch.

Step 6: How to Fry Chicken At home

The chicken has been chilling in the fridge for at least 45 minutes, uncovered. It should look a little damp on the surface now — that’s what you want. That damp exterior means the flour has had time to hydrate just enough to stick, but not enough to turn gummy or peel off in the oil.

I know the internet loves hacks like “stick a wooden spoon in and see if it bubbles!” or “drop a breadcrumb and watch it brown!” to determine oil temperature, but those aren’t accurate enough when you’ve got flour-drenched chicken. If your oil is too cold, your crust goes soggy and absorbs oil like a sponge. If it’s too hot, it’ll burn on the outside while staying raw inside. 

So, please, get a thermometer. Even a cheap one will change your home-cook life, I know it changed mine.

Heat your oil — sunflower, vegetable, or canola are all fine — to 175°C (347°F). When the chicken hits the oil, the temperature will naturally drop (especially if your pot is small), so you need to give yourself some wiggle room. You don’t want the temp dipping below 160°C (320°F) or you’ll end up with greasy, soggy coating.

Frying tips:

• Use a small/medium pot with tall-ish sides. You don’t need a deep fryer, just make sure there’s enough oil to allow the wings to float freely and not touch the bottom. I usually fill it halfway to 3/4 of the way with oil for safety and space.
  

• Work in small batches — no more than 2 to 4 wings at a time. You might be tempted to throw in more to save time, but don’t. It’ll crash the oil temp and mess with the equilibrium. Give each piece room to breathe.
  

• Lower the chicken gently into the oil, laying it away from you to avoid splashing. Once it’s in, leave it alone for the first minute. Don’t prod it, let the crust set.

• Fry for 7–10 minutes, depending on size. Look for a deep golden brown. If you’re unsure, grab one and check the internal temp — it should be at least 75°C (165°F) at the thickest point. If the coating looks pale or soft, give it a minute or two more. You’re better off letting it finish crisping up properly than pulling it too early.

I don’t double fry these, and honestly? You don’t need to. The rice flour and starch in the dredge, the fridge drying step, and that hot oil temp all work together to give you that crunch. But if you do want to double fry (Korean style), let the wings rest for 10 minutes after the first fry, then fry again at 190°C for 1-2 minutes to finish.

Step 7: Sauce, Garnish, Devour

Place your fried wings on a wire rack or paper towel for a moment. Then, plate them up with chopped spring onions, sliced red chilies, lime wedges, and a generous drizzle (or dunk) of that sticky mango peri peri sauce.

FAQ & Troubleshooting

Why isn’t my fried chicken crispy?

Crispy fried chicken comes down to three things: moisture control, starch ratios, and oil temperature. If your chicken isn’t crispy, chances are:

1. You didn’t let the coated chicken rest in the fridge long enough (you must give the flour time to bind and dry out).

2. Your oil wasn’t hot enough. 175°C is the golden number. If it drops too low, the coating absorbs oil instead of crisping up.

3. Your flour-to-starch ratio was off. You need that starch (tapioca, corn, potato) to give you that signature shatter. Flour alone won’t cut it.

I don’t have rice flour. What should I do?

Rice flour is the secret to achieving that fluffy yet crunchy texture in fried chicken wings. It crisps up really nicely without getting too dense. If you don’t have it, you can substitute cornflour (cornstarch), but make sure to sift it well to aerate it. This helps mimic the lightness of rice flour, but if you can find rice flour, use it! It makes a real difference.

Why does my chicken feel greasy?

That’s your oil temp again. If it’s not hot enough, the coating absorbs the oil like a sad kitchen sponge. Let it come back to 170–175°C between batches.

My chicken came out tough or dry. What gives?

Over-frying or using wing tips with very little meat could be the culprit. Try meatier cuts or reduce fry time slightly. And please don’t skip the marinade — it tenderises and adds moisture from the inside out.

Do I have to use a thermometer?

If you care about consistency? Yes. If you’re okay with gambling? Then no. Thermometers aren’t fancy, in my experience they’re the difference between golden crispy and “why is this grey?”

Can I bake or air fry this fried chicken instead of deep frying them?

The dredge in this recipe is formulated specifically for deep frying, the full submersion in hot oil activates all that flour, starch, and baking powder to give you a good crunch.

Baking or air frying doesn’t quite replicate that. Air fryers can get close, especially if you spray the wings generously with oil before cooking. But even then, you’re looking at a drier, more matte-finish wing, less juicy, less craggy. Still good, but different.

BUT, I got you. I have a separate recipe specifically made for air-fried or baked wings that uses a different coating method, tailored for dry heat cooking. Here’s the recipe which breaks down all the tweaks you need to get the best out of your air fryer without ending up with sad, pale wings.

How do I bring out tropical flavours in savoury food without it tasting like dessert?

Balance. Tropical fruits like mango, pineapple, or papaya are obviously sweet, but to make them stand out in savoury dishes, you need contrast:

• Acid (lime juice, vinegar) cuts through the sweetness

• Heat (chilli, peri peri, ginger) wakes it all up

• Salt & umami (soy sauce, herbs, garlic) keep it grounded

• Fat (butter, coconut milk) rounds everything out and carries flavour

It’s about layering, not overpowering. Let each element enhance the fruit rather than bury it.

What fast food chicken is this closest to?

I think Wingstop meets Popeyes with a dash of Nando’s. It’s has the Popeyes-level crunch and craggle (thanks to the starch and self-raising flour combo), a similar vibe to Wingstop’s mango habanero, and the peri-peri influence of Nando’s, but homemade, juicier, and way less one-note.

What sides go with mango lime chicken wings?

• Coconut rice or lime jasmine rice (because creamy + citrus = incredible)

• Sweet potato fries (extra crunch + natural sweetness = chef’s kiss)

• Corn salad with herbs and feta (cool, creamy, and fresh)

• Grilled plantains or mango slaw (to double down on the tropical vibe)

• A cold yoghurt dip with herbs and garlic if you want a chill contrast to the heat
  

Thank you so much for reading! If you have any questions at all — about this recipe, how to tweak it to your taste, or even just to chat about food — I’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment below, DM me, or send me an email anytime.