I think it is really fun to give making a food from another country a try. It can be intimidating, but I find if I pare down on the more specialty or expensive ingredients, it becomes very accessible. One example here – the fried bananas for plantains. Do you like plantains? Do you know the difference between them and a banana? When I am out of my territory with a new culinary realm, I cling to a good recipe to be my guide. Do you like cuban food? Let us make some cuban food!
CUBAN CHICKEN & RICE WITH FRIED BANANAS
Serves 3-4
1 teaspoon cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup orange juice
4 limes, juiced
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon soy sauce
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup brown rice
15 ounces black beans
2 bananas, sliced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 mango, diced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flake
Salt & pepper
Combine cumin, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, honey, soy sauce, and salt & pepper in a plastic bag. Add chicken breasts to bag and marinate for one day, or at least 20 minutes.
Heat a skillet to medium heat and cook chicken 5-7 minutes on each side, until browned and cooked throughout. Prepare brown rice according to package instructions. Stir together olive oil, black beans, mango, cilantro, and red pepper flake. Heat coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add sliced bananas to pan. Sprinkle with chili powder and fry 1-2 minutes one each side. Assemble dish with brown rice, black bean & mango mixture, fried bananas, and chicken.
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ cup orange juice
- 4 limes, juiced
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup brown rice
- 15 ounces black beans
- 2 bananas, sliced
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 mango, diced
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flake
- Salt & pepper
- Combine cumin, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, honey, soy sauce, and salt & pepper in a plastic bag. Add chicken breasts to bag and marinate for one day, or at least 20 minutes.
- Heat a skillet to medium heat and cook chicken 5-7 minutes on each side, until browned and cooked throughout.
- Prepare brown rice according to package instructions.
- Stir together olive oil, black beans, mango, cilantro, and red pepper flake.
- Heat coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add sliced bananas to pan. Sprinkle with chili powder and fry 1-2 minutes one each side.
- Assemble dish with brown rice, black bean & mango mixture, fried bananas, and chicken.
Adapted from Half Baked Harvest.
