A little magic went down in the kitchen earlier today, and they involve these Cuban Chicken & Black Bean Rice Bowls.
Cilantro-lime rice and Cuban style black beans serve as the base for juicy chicken tossed in a blend of fresh orange juice, lime juice, garlic, smoked paprika, oregano, and cumin. If that’s not enough, the bowls are then topped with mango salsa and some sweet fried plantains on the side, perfection.
This recipe is special for me as it is near and dear to my heart. One of the reasons I fell in love with cooking was because I always had strong, positive female role models who always took such care and pride in preparing meals for their loved ones. From my grandma, to my mom, down to my aunties they showed me how to put love in food, and how it was the most important ingredient. Recently I lost one of my aunties, and I want to dedicate this post and recipe to her.
One of my earliest memories of my Aunt was her preparing breakfast for my Uncle and all of her nieces and nephews. She used to make the best sausages, and her kitchen was never dull as she would dance and sing all while cooking. We used to laugh as kids because food used to fly around the kitchen whenever she was in there, and man her food was ALWAYS amazing!
It’s been tough dealing with losing her, but I take comfort in knowing that she’s always with me especially when I’m in the kitchen. In my culture, we celebrate life and not death. So to celebrate her life and the love of the journey that life takes us all on, I decided to get in the kitchen and whip up these Cuban Chicken & Black Bean Rice Bowls (something I know she would’ve loved) and pour a glass of Wente Vineyard’s Riva Ranch Chardonnay as a toast to her and all the lives she touched.
These bowls are full of life, flavor, and spice just like my aunty. Let me break down the components of yumminess for you!
- Cuban Style Chicken- I marinated this chicken in such amazing spices! Cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, chili powder, fresh garlic, lime juice and zest, and orange juice and zest! This chicken is perfect with pretty much anything. In a salad, tacos, sandwiches, etc! Very similar to my Mojo Cuban Pork recipe, how can you pass up on delicious moist and juicy chicken?!
- Cuban Style Black Beans- Oh! These may just be my favorite part! More amazing flavors of cumin and smoked paprika. I mash half of the beans and mix it all together to keep some texture, and it’s just delicious! I’ve been known to just eat a whole pan of these, lol!
- Cilantro Lime Rice- Okay by now we all know how much I love rice, but this rice is next level! Chipotle has nothing on this cilantro lime rice! 🙂
MANGO SALSA RECIPE
You can top the bowls with whatever you like. I went with a mango salsa, which I have an amazing recipe for here, and of course some fried plantains! Also, if you guys are interested in a fried plantain tutorial let me know in the comments, and I will definitely try to get one up! <3
UPDATE: As promised here is the FRIED PLANTAIN RECIPE <3
Wente’s Riva Ranch Chardonnay 2014 went PERFECTLY with these Cuban Chicken and Black Bean Rice Bowls!! As I poured the first glass and we made a toast to my Aunt, it truly was a magical moment. Notes of tropical fruit and creamy butter make this wine smooth and crisp and they were made for each other.
Did you guys know, May 25th is National Chardonnay Day? Perfect way to celebrate is with Wente and toasting to the love of the journey with your loved ones! Check out their page for a list of all of their delicious wines, and if you’re making this recipe don’t forget to grab a bottle of the Riva Ranch 2014 Chardonnay!
Cuban Chicken & Black Bean Rice Bowls
Cilantro-lime rice and Cuban-style black beans serve as the base for juicy chicken tossed in a blend of fresh orange juice, lime juice, garlic, smoked paprika, oregano, and cumin. If that’s not enough, the bowls are then topped with a mango salsa and some sweet fried plantains on the side, perfection.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 large chicken breasts, diced
- 2 Tbsp. ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1 Tbsp. dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 garlic cloves
- Zest and juice of 1 orange
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
Black Beans
- 2 tsp. vegetable oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cans black beans, drained
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- salt and black pepper to taste
Cilantro-Lime Rice
- 1 tsp. vegetable oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 1 ½ cups Jasmine rice
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- Zest and juice of 2 limes
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Chicken
- To a blender, combine the ingredients for the chicken marinade. Add the cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper, 4 cloves garlic, zest and juice of 1 orange, and the zest and juice of 1 lime to the blender. Blend together until everything is finely chopped and smooth.
- Add the chicken to a bowl or a Ziploc bag and pour half the marinade over the chicken. Toss to coat and allow the chicken to sit for at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the marinade.
- Heat a large skillet with vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot add the chicken and cook, 10-12 minutes or until browned all over and cooked throughout. Add the remaining marinade to the skillet and cook until it has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes.
Black Beans
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions and saute for 3-4 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and saute 30-60 seconds. Add the black beans and spices and cook for 5-10 minutes. Using a potato masher, mash about half of the beans in the pan, then mix it all together. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
Cilantro-Lime Rice
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until soft. Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil allowing to toast for about a minute. Add the chicken broth and increase the heat to high, allowing it to come to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and place the lid onthe pan. Cook for about 15 minutes, until most of the liquid has absorbed.
- Turn off the heat and allow rice to sit with the lid on for an additional 5 minutes. Add the lime, cilantro and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- To serve, divide the cilantro lime rice among bowls. Top with chicken and black beans. Add mango salsa and fried plantains if desired!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 829Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 1633mgCarbohydrates: 112gFiber: 23gSugar: 21gProtein: 49g
Diana (@beandafbaby)
May 17, 2017Looks delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe! My husband and I can’t stand cilantro though, but I am sure it would taste just as great with regular rice!
evseats
June 21, 2017It sure will! Thanks Diana!
collegeceliackc
May 17, 2017I love how simple but flavorful this is! And I’m addicted to half mashed black beans with spices….so good!
evseats
June 21, 2017Thanks!!
kage2015
May 17, 2017Now this looks like a dish I could really enjoy fixing and eating. I already have the black beans cooked.
evseats
June 21, 2017Easy as ever!!
Samantha
May 17, 2017Oh my goodness! I love the flavors in this dish! It looks soooooooo good!!!
evseats
June 21, 2017Thanks!!
Brad
March 28, 2024That seems like an awful lot of liquid for the jasmine rice. I usually cook slightly above 1/1 ratio if I rinse it which I always do.
Kristen Kavan
May 17, 2017plaintains are my favorite! I think theyd be a great addition to this bowl!
evseats
June 21, 2017Thanks Kristen!
Dr. Elise Cohen Ho
May 17, 2017Hubby is here looking over my shoulder and saying, “Dinner, tonite?” 🙂
evseats
June 21, 2017Hehe! Did you guys enjoy?!
Cara Owens
May 17, 2017I must confess I’ve never ate cuban style food before, but bestill my heart I need to now! This looks so amazing!
evseats
June 21, 2017Thanks Cara!
Jeni
May 18, 2017Oh my gosh I grew up in Florida and I adore Cuban food. This has my mouth watering. I’m a pescetarian, so I may sub fish or perhaps even veg chikn for this but wow. Must now have all the fried plantains!
evseats
June 21, 2017This would be delicious with fish!! Thanks Jenj!
ayanapitterson
May 22, 2017Hmmm yeah, guess what the Pittersons having for dinner tonight! Girl, this looks amazing. As a fellow Trini, these spices are right up my alley. Absolutely love it, and thanks for sharing the recipe.
Thrifting Diva
http://www.thriftingdiva.com
evseats
June 21, 2017Thanks girl!! I hope you guys loved it!!
hal bloss
May 22, 2017this sounds – and looks – ridiculously good! i love cuban flavors & black beans!
evseats
June 21, 2017Thank you!
Cassie
May 22, 2017I can almost taste this through my computer right now!!! Looks so delicious and definitely want to try it ASAP!
evseats
June 21, 2017Thanks Cassie!! I hope you like it!
themomnoms
May 22, 2017The food looks delicious but the wine makes it look even better. I am seriously drooling over the combination. You should come cook for me 😛
evseats
June 21, 2017Hehe thanks so much ☺️
The Seaside Baker
May 24, 2017What a perfect pairing. I absolutely love WENTE wines and this dish looks spectacular
evseats
June 21, 2017Their wines are delicious!!
Lara von Linsowe-Wilson
May 30, 2017LOVED your post! This all looks delicious :).
Would love it if you would check mine out as well!
http://www.coffeetocosmos.com/blog/celebrating-the-love-of-the-journey-with-wente-vineyards
xoxo,
Lara
Coffee to Cosmos
evseats
June 21, 2017Thanks!!
GiGi Eats Celebrities
June 20, 2017I am SO SO SO SO SO making that chicken!! Looks insane! GET IN MY FACE HOLE!
evseats
June 21, 2017Thanks GiGi!
Lori
July 22, 2017Making this tonight and adding fire roasted corn! Looks so good 😉
evseats
August 2, 2017Thanks Lori! Hope you loved it 🙂
Alison
July 27, 2017Can you share your mango salsa and fried plantain recipes? This looks so good!
evseats
August 2, 2017Thanks Alison! Yes I can definitely do that! Look out for both <3
R Smith
October 26, 2022Yes, please share the Mango Salsa & Plantain recipes please 🙂
Debbie
August 20, 2017This was excellent!! We live in Georgia now but originally from the Tampa area in Florida known for great Cuban food. I miss my Cuban food but can now make it from home. Can’t wait to try it with pork. Mango salsa is a must. Thank you so much.
evseats
August 21, 2017Thanks so much Debbie! So glad you guys like it! And pork… Now that’s next level. I know it’s going to be excellent! 🙂
Jamie
October 20, 2022Now, this is my kind of bowl. It’s overloaded with our favorites! I totally love this, it looks absolutely delicious and yummy!
Amy Liu Dong
October 22, 2022A one meal in a bowl with a lot of flavors.
I am so excited to make this for my family!
Brandy
December 2, 2022OMG. This is ridiculously good. My husband and I were drooling and licking our bowls. If you are wondering “should I make this?” Yes. Yes you should.
There’s no salsa recipe so I chopped mango, small onion, tomatoes, avocado and cilantro and threw in a little olive oil, kosher salt and honey. Delicious …
The beans are so good. I’ve never made them like this but I always will from now on.
My only complaint is that it took a really long time to make to prep everything (2-3 hours). But we decided it was so worth it. Especially if you double it and don’t have to cook the next day.
Kathy Shaheen
February 10, 2023This was delicious! I almost didn’t make the salsa cause the store didn’t have a mango. But, got one at another store and was perfect. The sweetness of the salsa with the spices in the beans and chicken was so good. One question though. My marinade was thick and almost like a paste. There wasn’t anything to reduce. Did I do something wrong?
Evi Aki
May 18, 2023Hi Kathy! Im so glad you liked the recipe! The marinade is supposed to be on the thick side but if you find it to thick you can always cut it with some lime juice or a little water.
Julie Kramer
March 25, 2023Didn’t see the instructions for making the Mango Salsa?
Evi Aki
May 18, 2023Hey Julie. The Mango Salsa recipe is live: https://evseats.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-making-sweet-and-spicy-mango-salsa/here
Marjan
March 27, 2023Can you enjoy this cold or room temperature. I want to meal prep them thank you.
Evi Aki
March 27, 2023You can enjoy it, room temp, however, I’d always recommend having it hot.
Allie
April 17, 2023This was phenomenal! So much flavor in every bite! Thank you for this recipe, I will definitely be making this again
Evi Aki
May 18, 2023Im so glad you enjoyed it Allie! Thank you:)
Liane
May 12, 2023Great dish, but the cumin flavor was overwhelming. I would make it again, but just add a few sprinkles of cumin.
Evi Aki
May 18, 2023Thanks for your feedback Liane. I do like my food heavily spiced so always feel free to adjust the amounts. 🙂
Rebecca
September 12, 2023This meal is SO, SO, SO good! Thank you! It will be on regular rotation around here.
Susannah
September 13, 2023This was excellent and will be on rotation at our house for sure! Would be good with pork tenderloin or shrimp as well.
Brad
October 21, 2023Do I add the oil to the marinade before cooking the chicken?? Thank you
Evi Aki
November 25, 2023Hi Brad! No the oil is for cooking the chicken 🙂
Vinnie
November 24, 2023hi EV, enjoying your recipes, I’m a rice lover also and the latest experiment was with coconut oil and bay leaves but the next time I’m going to pulverize the bay leaves in a spice grinder with some star anise and cinnamon to see more flavor!
Evi Aki
November 25, 2023Hi Vinnie, That sounds amazing! Please come back and let me know how it turns out!
Barb
March 10, 2024Am I missing the mango salsa recipe?
Scarlett Ezell
April 23, 2024Absolutely delicious!
Michelle
April 25, 2024This was amazing! My husband begged me to put it in on the rotation! Because I’m not Puerto Rican or Cuban I didn’t really know how to make the tostones well. I found another pin showing me how to make tostones, added a fresh Mango to a market Mango pico de gallo made in our grocery store and it really rocked. We finished it off with Prickly Pear Hard Seltzer Margaritas! I wish I could add a pic because it was so festive!
Felicia
June 8, 2024I made the seasoning for the chicken. I found it to be a very think like a paste. I read a comment that this was correct. There wasn’t really any way to “cook down” the second part of the Spice/sauce marinade. I found my chicken had a slight bitter flavor from one of the spices. Is this why you add the mango salsa? To temper the flavor?? My beans came out fine. I am wondering if there is something that I missed? Any advice would be appreciated.
Jamie
June 13, 2024Thanks for sharing I’m a man, who love to hear heartfelt cooking memories of our sweet dear mothers. I’m definitely going to try this recipe.
Evi Aki
June 22, 2024Thank you Jamie!