Sweet & Spicy Mango Prawns – A 17-Minute Mango Prawn Recipe You’ll Love

Sweet & Spicy Mango Prawns

I don’t think you can beat a recipe that feels a little bit special but take almost no effort at all – and this mango prawn recipe is exactly that. There’s something about the combination of sweet, juicy mango, tender king prawns and that sticky soy and sweet chilli sauce that just feels like a proper treat, even on a Tuesday night.

This is one of those fakeaway dinners that I reach for when I want something that tastes like it came from a restaurant but doesn’t involve a mountain of washing up or an hour in the kitchen. From start to finish, this is on the table in 17 minutes – and at just 226 calories per serving, it’s also one of the lightest things on my regular rotation.

The sauce is incredibly simple: garlic, light soy sauce, sweet chilli and lime juice, all stirred together in a bowl before you even turn the hob on. The mango does so much of the heavy lifting here, bringing a natural sweetness that balances the heat of the chilli perfectly. I love serving this with fluffy jasmine rice, but it works just as well with noodles if that’s what you have in.

If you love a quick prawn stir fry, this one is going to become a firm favourite. It’s also a great option if you’re watching your calories – the fat content is an incredibly low 1.4g per serving, with 18.6g of protein to keep you feeling full. The perfect slimming-friendly fakeaway.

IN THIS POST

• What are sweet and spicy mango prawns?
• Why you’ll love this recipe
• Variations and substitutions
• Serving suggestions
• Storing and reheating
• How does this work on Slimming World?
• Mango prawns and GLP-1 medications
• Other prawn recipes to try
• FAQ
• Recipe

What Are Sweet & Spicy Mango Prawns?

This is a quick Asian-inspired stir-fry where raw king prawns are cooked with red onion, ripe mango and sugarsnap peas in a sauce of garlic, soy, sweet chilli and lime. It falls firmly into fakeaway territory – the kind of meal you’d order from a Thai or Chinese restaurant, but made at home in a fraction of the time and with a fraction of the calories.

If you enjoy dishes like my leek, prawn and chilli spaghetti, you’ll really love the simplicity of this one. It has that same bright, fresh feel, with the added sweetness of the mango making it feel really special.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s ready in 17 minutes. 10 minutes of prep, 7 minutes of cooking. That’s it — genuinely one of the quickest dinners in my repertoire.
• Only 226 calories per serving. With just 1.4g of fat and 18.6g of protein, this is an incredibly light but satisfying dinner.
• The mango makes it feel indulgent. There’s something about sweet, ripe mango in a savoury dish that always feels a little bit luxurious – even though this couldn’t be simpler to make.
• Sticky mango prawns with minimal washing up. Everything cooks in one pan, which means less time clearing up and more time enjoying your dinner.
• Easily scaled up. If you want to serve 4 rather than 2, just double the ingredients – the timings stay the same.

Variations and Substitutions

• Swap the king prawns for chicken. Finely sliced chicken breast works well here — just give it a couple of extra minutes in the pan before adding the sauce.
• Use frozen mango. Fresh ripe mango is ideal, but if you can’t get hold of one that’s actually ripe, frozen mango chunks are a great substitute and need no preparation.
• Make it vegetarian. Replace the prawns with firm tofu, cut into cubes and lightly fried until golden before adding the sauce. The mango and sweet chilli sauce combination is equally delicious.
• Add more heat. If you like a real kick, add a finely sliced red chilli with the onion at the start.
• Swap sugarsnap peas for mangetout or green beans. Any quick-cooking green veg works well here – just add it at the same time as the mango.

Serving Suggestions

• Jasmine rice is my go-to – the fragrant, slightly sticky rice is the perfect partner for that sweet chilli sauce.
• Fine noodles work brilliantly too and make this feel even more like a restaurant-style dish.
• Extra steamed vegetables on the side – pak choi or Tenderstem broccoli both work well and keep things light.
• A wedge of lime on the side for squeezing over at the table adds a lovely extra burst of freshness.

Storing and Reheating

• Fridge: This is really best eaten fresh, as the prawns can become a little rubbery when reheated. If you do have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.
• Freezer: I wouldn’t recommend freezing this one – prawns and mango don’t freeze well once cooked.
• Reheat: If you do need to reheat, do so gently in a pan over a low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Don’t microwave the prawns if you can help it, as they toughen up quickly.

How Does This Recipe Work on Slimming World?

This mango prawn recipe is a great option if you’re following Slimming World. The prawns, onion, mango and sugarsnap peas are all free foods, and the soy sauce is swip-free (syn-free). The sweet chilli sauce is around 1 swip per tablespoon, so the whole recipe comes in at roughly 0.5 swips per serving – practically swip-free.

To make it completely swip-free, you could swap the sweet chilli sauce for a little extra soy sauce and a pinch of chilli flakes, although you’ll lose a little of that lovely sticky sweetness.

For Slimming World purposes, if you serve this with jasmine rice or noodles, both of those are free foods.

Sweet & Spicy Mango Prawns and GLP-1 Medications

If you’re taking a GLP-1 medication such as Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro, you may notice your appetite and portion sizes change from day to day. Recipes like this one can be useful to keep in your regular rotation because they’re easy to adapt depending on how hungry you feel.

Protein content
Each serving provides around 18.6g of protein. Including protein-rich foods in your meals can help you feel satisfied and is often recommended as part of a balanced approach to weight loss.

Flexible portion sizes
This dish works well in both full and smaller portions. You can serve a lighter amount with a small portion of noodles or simply alongside steamed greens, and it still feels like a complete, delicious meal.

Light, fresh flavours
Some people taking GLP-1 medications find that heavier or very rich meals don’t appeal as much. Lighter dishes with simple sauces and fresh flavours can sometimes feel easier to eat on days when appetite is lower.

As always, this information is based on general nutrition guidance and isn’t a substitute for medical advice. If you have questions about what to eat while taking GLP-1 medications, it’s best to speak with your GP, pharmacist or a registered dietitian.

Other Prawn Recipes to Try

If you’ve loved this mango prawn recipe, here are a few more prawn dishes from the site that are well worth trying:

• Easy Butter Prawn Curry — a creamy, richly spiced fakeaway curry with king prawns and butternut squash
• Leek, Prawn and Chilli Spaghetti — bright, lemony pasta with chilli and prawns, ready in 25 minutes
• Lemony Chilli Prawn Tagliatelle — a restaurant-worthy pasta dish with garlic, lemon and a secret ingredient
• Ginger and Garlic Prawns — a gorgeous, light Chinese-style prawn dish ready in 30 minutes

For more fakeaway inspiration, head to the fakeaway recipes page.