An easy chicken dinner with loads of citrus and garlic! This easy Cuban Mojo Chicken recipe is made simply on a sheet pan, but it’s full of complex flavors. A perfect dish to add to your regular menu rotation!
An Easy, Flavorful Chicken Recipe with Cuban Mojo Marinade!
Chicken with black beans and rice is a filling, warm dinner that’s perfect for any time of year. The tender, juicy chicken is marinated in garlicky mojo marinade before baking, which makes it extra flavorful! Canned or boxed black beans are an easy and tasty side dish, along with fragrant basmati rice.
You can pull this recipe together in less than an hour, making it a great choice for hectic weeknights. It’s also great for meal prep, or for a festive weekend lunch. Let’s hear it for sheet pan dinners, right?
What Is Mojo Sauce Made Of?
You may not be familiar with mojo sauce. It’s a Cuban sauce and marinade that’s made simply with citrus, garlic, and herbs. Depending on the region and recipe, mojo sauce can also include sherry, onion, olive oil, and even butter! My Mojo Marinade recipe is super-simple. It is made with olive oil, a trio of citrus juices, garlic, oregano, and onion.
Recipe Ingredients
Talk about a quick and easy dinner – this one only has a handful of ingredients, and takes very little time to cook. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Mojo Marinade: If you use my recipe for Mojo Marinade [LINK], you will need to use about ⅓ of it to make this dish. (Don’t worry about wasting the rest – it can be refrigerated for a week or frozen for three months!) You can also use store-bought mojo.
- Chicken: Chicken breasts, cut into strips. You can also use chicken thighs, or use a mix of dark and white meat, if you prefer. I use boneless chicken. You can use bone-in chicken but it will need additional cooking time.
- Black Beans: Canned or boxed black beans, rinsed before adding them to this recipe.
- Rice: Whole-grain basmati rice is my go-to.
- Orange: This is optional, but a large orange cut into cubes is great added to the sheet pan.
Let’s Make Mojo Chicken!
To make this recipe, you will need one-third of a batch of Mojo Marinade [LINK], and you will need about four hours for the chicken to marinade – so plan ahead! You can put the chicken in the marinade in the morning, and it will be ready to cook by dinner. You can also marinate the chicken overnight. Either way, it’s sure to be a hit.
Marinade the Chicken. Take your mojo marinade and place it in a glass dish (or another nonreactive dish). Place the chicken in the marinade, cover it with plastic wrap or a lid, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. You can also marinate chicken in a large zip-top bag, but be sure to place the bag in a big bowl to catch any drips or leaks.
- Get Ready to Bake. Once the chicken is done marinating and you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350°F. Place a baking sheet in the oven while it preheats, so that the oven can preheat too.
- Bake the Chicken. When the oven and baking sheet are hot, take the baking sheet out and place the chicken on it, to one side (the beans will go on the other side later). Slide the baking sheet back into the oven for 20 minutes.
- Make the Rice and Beans. While the chicken bakes, cook the rice according to the package directions. When the 20 minutes are up, take the baking sheet out of the oven, and add the black beans to the pan. Add the cut orange as well, if you’re using one, and then place the baking sheet in the oven again for another 5 – 8 minutes.
- Enjoy! Take the baking sheet out of the oven, and add the rice to the baking sheet. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, and serve directly from the baking sheet.
Recipe Tips
Making this sheet pan dinner is incredibly easy, and these recipe tips will make it even easier. From making the rice to testing the chicken for doneness, they’ll help make your dinner just right.
- Mojo Marinade: Making the mojo marinade is easy to do, and it’s so bright and savory when made fresh. However, you can definitely substitute a store-bought mojo marinade if you like!
- Making the Rice: I like basmati rice in this recipe, but you can use any white rice that you like (jasmine rice is another great choice – check out this tutorial on Perfect Rice). If you decide to use brown rice or wild rice, remember to start the rice in advance, since those varieties take longer to cook.
- Chicken Temperature: It’s important to make sure that your chicken is done before serving, of course, but you also want to avoid overcooking it, or you’ll end up with dry chicken. I recommend using an instant-read thermometer to make sure it hits the perfect temp. Check the chicken in the thickest part. It should reach 165°F for food safety. Don’t go too far over that temperature, or the chicken will be dry.
Easy Serving Suggestions
This is basically a complete meal as-is, but if you’d like a little more veggie power, try one or two of these side dishes. Each one is simple to make, and super tasty.
- Pico de Gallo: Pico goes with everything! And it couldn’t be more scrumptious than it is when paired with homemade mojo chicken. Make your own Pico De Gallo with this easy recipe, and enjoy.
- Succotash: My Spicy Corn Succotash comes with a kick, thanks to poblano and red pepper flakes. It’s a creamy, summery side dish that will add loads of flavor and texture to your mojo chicken dinner.
- Coleslaw: Regular cabbage coleslaw would be fantastic here, but if you want something a little different, try Roasted Brussels Sprouts Slaw. It’s made with Brussels sprouts, almonds, red onion, and a killer Caesar-like dressing that will make your mouth water!
Storing and Reheating
Mojo chicken, black beans, and rice will keep in the refrigerator for 3 – 4 days. Place the leftovers in an airtight container to keep them as fresh as possible. You can store all three together in the same dish, or separately – it’s up to you!
Can I Freeze This?
Sure! Mojo chicken freezes well, and you can freeze the beans and rice as well. Here’s how:
- Chicken: Just cool the chicken down, pack it into your favorite freezer bags or containers, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- Black Beans and Rice: Cool the beans and rice before freezing. Once the beans and rice are cool, pack them into freezer bags (you can mix them or freeze them separately – either way is delicious). Freeze for up to six months. Do not defrost beans and rice before reheating, or the texture will be mushy. Instead, place the frozen beans and rice in a covered skillet over low heat. Add a splash of water or chicken broth, and heat until warmed through, stirring occasionally.
Cuban Mojo Chicken
Ingredients
- Mojo Marinade
- 1 pound of chicken breasts cut into strips. You can use a pound of chicken thighs or a mix if you like
- 1 14.5 ounce box or can of black beans rinsed
- 1 cup of whole grain basmati rice
- 1 large orange cut into cubes
Instructions
- Place the chicken into the marinade, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. You can also do this in a large zip-top bag, but be sure to place the bag into a large bowl to safeguard against drips.
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Place a baking sheet in the oven while preheating.
- Remove the baking sheet. Add chicken and marinade on one side of a preheated baking sheet.
- Cook for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook rice according to directions, set aside.
- Remove the baking sheet. Add black beans to the empty side of the baking sheet and cut orange (optional) return to the oven.
- Bake for 5-8 more minutes.
- Remove and add rice to the pan. Top with chopped cilantro and serve directly from the baking pan.
Notes
- Storage: Mojo chicken, black beans, and rice will keep in the refrigerator for 3 – 4 days. Place the leftovers in an airtight container to keep them as fresh as possible. You can store all three together in the same dish, or separately.
- Mojo Marinade: Making the mojo marinade is easy to do, and it’s so bright and savory when made fresh. However, you can definitely substitute a store-bought mojo marinade if you like!
- Making the Rice: I like basmati rice in this recipe, but you can use any white rice that you like (jasmine rice is another great choice – check out this tutorial on Perfect Rice). If you decide to use brown rice or wild rice, remember to start the rice in advance, since those varieties take longer to cook.
- Chicken Temperature: It’s important to make sure that your chicken is done before serving, of course, but you also want to avoid overcooking it, or you’ll end up with dry chicken. I recommend using an instant-read thermometer to make sure it hits the perfect temp. Check the chicken in the thickest part. It should reach 165°F for food safety. Don’t go too far over that temperature, or the chicken will be dry.
