Cuban Chicken and Black Bean Rice Bowls

These Cuban Chicken and Black Bean Rice Bowls are so packed with flavor! They’re filled with homemade cuban spiced chicken, black beans, lime rice and fried plantains! The perfect easy and delicious weeknight meal!

Chicken is probably my favorite protein. You can probably notice that from the many chicken recipes that I already have on my blog like my Southwest Chicken Meal Prep Bowls, Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie Soup, my Loaded Baked Chicken Nachos...the list could go on.

I love chicken so much because it’s SO versatile. You can spice it in a million different ways and it has so many delicious pairings. For example a lot of the time, I will use rice, black beans and avocado to pair with Mexican spiced chicken. However, I’m using the exact same 3 pairings these Cuban Chicken bowls and by tweaking the spices – it’s 100% a different meal!

This recipe in inspired by a Cuban restaurant that we used to order in from at my old job. I always ordered the same thing – this huge salad with mojo style Cuban chicken, the most amazing plantains, avocado hummus, beans and rice and this spicy dressing. While I didn’t necessarily want to dub these Cuban Chicken Bowls a “salad” – because let’s be honest, “bowls” are a much more trendy term and “salads” just kind of make me sad. But – I’ll let you in on a secret. These basically are salads. Minus the dressing. The creamy avocado and juicy chicken is all you need for a dressing. Oh, and these are just a million times more delicious. Yup.

When you get an element of each ingredient into one bite – it’s phenomenal. From the creaminess of the avocado, to the citrus punch of the lime rice, to the spiciness of cumin black beans to the slight sweet + salty plantains and finally the most amazing juicy spiced Cuban chicken EVER. It’s just amazing. Let’s get into how to make it!

Ingredients You Need for Cuban Chicken and Black Bean Rice Bowls:

• chicken breast
• homemade cuban spice blend (garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano)
• black beans
• rice
• lime
• plantains
• avocado
• spinach

How to Make Cuban Chicken and Black Bean Rice Bowls:

I like to begin each recipe by trying to prep everything! For example, I’m going to go ahead and cut the plantain into slices that are about a quarter inch thick. Set those aside. I will also go ahead and slice up my avocado. Lastly, I’m going to begin cooking my rice to get it out of the way. Usually there are directions on the package – but I usually just do about ½ cup of rice to 1.5 cups of water. I put my rice, water and a pinch of salt into a pot and begin to let that boil. Once boiling, I reduce it down to simmer/low and cover it for 15 minutes or so or until all of the water has evaporated. Once it’s done, I added 1 tbsp of butter + the juice of one lime + salt to taste!

Combine your spices in a small bowl and mix to combine. Rub the seasoning directly onto your chicken breast – making sure to coat the entire thing! Once that’s done, in a non-stick skillet, let about 1 tbsp of olive oil get hot on medium heat. Once it’s hot, add in your chicken breast. Let cook 6-7 minutes on each side until it’s done.

Once that’s done, don’t wash your pan! Instead, use all of that deliciousness to fry your plantain slices in! Using olive oil or butter, add in about a tbsp to the pan. Once it’s heated up again, add in your plantain slices. Cook them for about 1-2 minutes on each side or until they’re golden brown. When they’re done, sprinkle them with a little salt. SO good!!

Warm up the beans in either a microwave or on the stove top. Add in cumin and a pinch of salt.  

Begin layering your bowls! Start with a bed of spinach, add the buttery lime rice, cumin beans, chicken breast, plantain slices and avocado! Spritz some more lime on top for extra goodness. Eat up and enjoy!!! 

Be sure to follow ourbalancedbowl on Instagram and tag me with your photo! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the Our Balanced Bowl Facebook page! I always love to see your re-creations! If you do make it, be sure to rate and comment so I can get your feedback! Xo!

5 from 4 votes

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Cuban Chicken and Black Bean Rice Bowls

These Cuban Chicken and Black Bean Rice Bowls are so packed with flavor! They’re filled with homemade cuban spiced chicken, black beans, lime rice and fried plantains! The perfect easy and delicious weeknight meal!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Cuban

Keyword black beans and rice, cuban chicken bowls, fried plantains

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 2 people

Author Haylie

Ingredients

Cuban Chicken

• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Lime Rice

• 1/2 cup rice
• 1 and 1/2 cups water
• 1 tbsp butter
• juice of 1/2 lime
• pinch of salt to taste

Cumin Black Beans

• 1 can black beans
• 1 tbsp cumin
• pinch of salt to taste

Sauteed Plantains

• 1 plantain diced into small bite size slices
• 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
• salt to taste

Other Bowl Ingredients

• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• 2 cups spinach

Instructions

1. Begin by slicing your plantain into bite sized coin pieces. Set aside. Slice your avocado into thin slices as well. Set this aside. 

2. Begin to cook your rice. In a medium sized pot, combine your dry rice with 1.5 cups of water. Place on high heat and let it come to a boil. Once boiling, cover and turn down to simmer. Let simmer for 15 minutes or until the water has fully evaporated. Once done, fluff the rice, add butter, salt and the juice of half of a lime. 

3. While your rice is cooking, go ahead and make your cuban chicken seasoning. Mix all of the spices listed above into a bowl. Rub the seasoning directly onto your chicken breast. In a non-stick skillet, add your tbsp of olive oil and let it heat up. Once hot, add in your chicken breast. Cook for 6-7 minutes on each side or until fully cooked through. 

4. When your chicken is almost done cooking, heat up your black beans in the microwave (or on the stovetop - microwave is just faster!) Once your beans are warm, add in your cumin and a pinch of salt. Mix to combine and set aside. 

5. Once your chicken is done cooking, squeeze half of the lime on top of it and remove it from the pan onto a cutting board. Slice the chicken breast in half. In the same pan you just cooked your chicken in, add either butter or olive oil and once heated, place all of your plantains in a single layer. Cook the plantains for 1-2 minutes on each side, until they are golden brown. Once done, add a pinch of salt. 

6. Time to assemble your bowls! Add spinach to the bottom of your bowl, followed by a large spoonful of cumin black beans, a large spoonful of lime rice, half of the sliced avocado, half of the plantains and half of the chicken breast! Squeeze with lime to garnish. Enjoy while hot!