Cuban Chicken Bowls

These Cuban Chicken Bowls are sooo flavorful! Juicy chicken, yummy rice, and fried plantain on the side. What more could you ask for?

Happy Sunday! I am so happy to be back in the kitchen after a week off. Taking a break was awesome (and believe me, I needed it) but I really missed cooking. I have so many recipe ideas that I am dying to test out.

This week, I wanted to keep things simple and flavorful with these Cuban chicken bowls. These bowls are certainly not traditional or “authentic” Cuban food. Instead, they are inspired by flavors often found in Cuban cuisine, and by Cuban cooking techniques.

Also, did I mention this dish has fried plantains?! I. Am. In. LOVE.

The recipe…

This recipe is really about the Cuban chicken. I know it may seem like a lot of ingredients and work for some chicken, but it so worth it. Once you get started, you’ll see how easy this recipe is. And how delicious! Here are the steps for making these Cuban chicken bowls:

1. 1. Make the marinade for the chicken by blending orange juice, lime juice, onion, garlic, habanero pepper, and spices. The citrus will tenderize the meat, while the spices pack tons of flavor.
   2. Marinate the chicken. Toss cubed pieces of chicken into a ziploc bag with the marinade (you can use dark meat or white meat, whichever you prefer). Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to overnight.
   3. Place the chicken on skewers and grill. The skewers are totally optional, but make for a great presentation. You can also sear the chicken on the stove, but grilling is a great way to take advantage of being outdoors. Plus, grilling adds lots of flavor, and we are all about flavor.
   4. Prepare the sides. Cook the rice and fry the plantains. I assume everyone knows how to cook rice, so you’re on your own there. I also have step by step instructions for how to make great Fried Plantain on the blog.
   5. Assemble your bowl! I like to add fresh avocado and a fresh squeeze of lime to complete the dish.

Substitutions…

Instead of chicken, you can use:

shrimp

pork

or fish.

The marinade translates well to almost any kind of meat. Just be sure to adjust your grilling time to ensure the meat is thoroughly cooked.

Looking for more Caribbean recipes? Try these:

Baked Jerk Chicken

No Churn Rum and Raisin Ice Cream

Bully Beef Sandwiches

Share this recipe…

If you make this recipe, be sure to let me know by rating it and leaving a comment below. I would love to hear from you. And don’t forget to tag #sweetandsorrel on Instagram!

Cuban Chicken Bowls

Author: Dani

5 from 1 vote

These Cuban Chicken Bowls are sooo flavorful! Juicy chicken, yummy rice, and fried plantain on the side. What more could you ask for?

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 4 people

Course Main Course

Cuisine Caribbean, Cuban

Ingredients

Chicken

• juice of 1 orange
• juice and zest of 1 lime
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 1 habanero, chopped, seeds removed
• 1 tsp Adobo seasoning
• 1 tsp honey
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast or thigh, cubed into roughly 2in pieces

Sides

• cooked white rice
• fried plantain
• avocado
• lime

Instructions 

• Combine all ingredients for the marinade into a food processor and pulse until combined. You should have a thick, runny marinade. Place cubed chicken and marinade in a zip loc bag and shake vigorously to coat the chicken in the marinade. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to overnight.
• When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the fridge and lightly shake off any excess marinade. Soak skewers in water to prevent them from burning. Place six pieces of chicken on each skewer. Grill for 5-10 minutes per side, or until fully cooked. Remove from grill.
• Prepare sides and serve while hot. Leftover chicken can be used for tacos or rice and bean bowls.

Did You Make This Recipe?

Tag @sweetandsorrel on Instagram and hashtag it #sweetandsorrel so we can see all the deliciousness!

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Keyword chicken, chicken bowl recipe, cuban chicken, fried plantain