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Cuban Chicken Quinoa Bowls

Total Time reflects 2 hours of inactive marinating time.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time4 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup pineapple juice
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice
  • 1 jalapeno seeded, stemmed and chopped
  • 5 cloves of garlic finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

Slaw

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 handful cilantro leaves
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice
  • pinch of salt and black pepper
  • pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 bag pre-shredded slaw mix I used a standard coleslaw mix

Guacamole

  • 3 large avocados pitted, peeled and mashed
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice

Quinoa

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt more to taste

Sweet Potatoes

  • 2 large sweet potatoes peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Black Beans

  • 2 14- ounce cans black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • pinch of salt
  • For serving: fresh lime wedges chopped cilantro.

Instructions

  • In the bowl of your food processor, combine the orange juice, pineapple juice, lime juice, jalapeno, garlic, cumin, chili powder, honey, soy sauce, and black pepper. Pulse until smooth and pour it into a gallon-sized ziploc bag. Add the chicken to the bag and zip it up. Massage the marinade into the chicken and then place it in the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
  • Meanwhile, prepare your other bowl components. In the bowl of your food processor, combine the sour cream, olive oil, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, salt and black pepper, and cayenne pepper to make the slaw. Pour it into a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup of it for drizzling later on. To the bowl, add the pre-shredded slaw mix. Toss to coat and then adjust seasoning to desired taste. Cover and place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
  • Next, prepare your guacamole. To a small bowl, combine the mashed avocado, cilantro, salt and black pepper, and lime juice until thoroughly combined. Seal it very tightly and place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use.
  • At this point, preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Take your chicken and skewer them onto metal or bamboo skewers. Set them aside.
  • Start your quinoa by bringing the chicken broth, cumin chili powder and salt to a boil. Add the quinoa and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Fluff with fork and adjust seasoning to taste. Keep covered and warm until you are ready to serve.
  • While your quinoa is cooking, prepare your sweet potatoes. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Toss the sweet potatoes in the cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, salt and olive oil on a baking sheet that has been lined with foil. Place it in the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.
  • In a small saucepan, combine the black beans, chili powder, cumin and salt. Cook over low heat until warmed through. Keep warm until you are ready to serve.
  • The last step is to prepare your chicken. On a greased grill grate, lay out your skewered chicken. Grill for about 7 minutes on each side, or until the chicken is cooked through entirely. Remove from heat.
  • Assemble your bowls by layering chicken, black beans, sweet potatoes, slaw, and guacamole over a bed of quinoa. Drizzle with remaining cilantro sour cream and serve with fresh limes. Enjoy immediately!