Cuban Chicken with Black Bean Quinoa

In my most recent blog post entitled “Time for Spring Cooking”, I mentioned that cooking with friends and going to grocery stores to learn from local chefs. Chef Patrick Mathieu (@StationHouseCCo) is my all time favourite chef at a local grocery store who was also on Chopped Canada! His recipes are beyond flavourful, not too complex and, above all, very versatile. This Cuban Chicken with Black Bean Quinoa was demonstrated by Patrick for our class and it was sensational. Patrick caters events and is also a local Waterloo firefighter.

This is a slightly adapted version of his delectable recipe and the recipe can certainly be made into a vegetarian version by leaving out the chicken.

• Prep time: 30 minutes
• Cook time: 40 minutes
• Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• ½ cup orange juice
• ¼ cup lime juice or 1 lime juiced
• 1 tsp honey or brown sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 handful cilantro, chopped
• fresh ground pepper
• 4 chicken thighs with skin on
• 1 Tbsp butter or margarine
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 cups (500mL) low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 can black beans, rinsed
• fresh cilantro
• 1 lime

Directions for this Cuban Chicken with Black Bean Quinoa:

1. Firstly, combine first seven ingredients to make a marinade. In a bowl, coat the chicken with marinade. Allow the chicken to marinate at least 30 minutes or up to eight hours.
2. Then, in a deep skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat.
3. Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade and placeskin-side down in the pan. Cook with a lid on until no pink remains, about 20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
4. Add onion to the skillet along with a pinch of salt and cook for 3-5 minutes until soft and translucent. Note: if skillet is dry you will need to add more butter before adding onions.
5. Then add in peppers and cook, stirring until softened, about 3 minutes.
6. Stir in the turmeric, cumin, quinoa and stir until the quinoa is coated.
7. Pour in the chicken broth and black beans and stir to combine everything.
8. Increase the heat to high and simmer until liquid begins to be absorbed into the quinoa. Cooking quinoa takes approximately 20 minutes.
9. Finally, plate quinoa and black beans and add piece of chicken on top. Garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.

Cuban Chicken with Black Bean Quinoa

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

This Cuban Chicken with Black Bean Quinoa is a dish inspired by Chef Patrick Mathieu, with my own spin. It can also be made vegetarian by excluding chicken!

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Ingredients

• ½ cup orange juice
• ¼ cup lime juice or 1 lime juiced
• 1 tsp honey or brown sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 handful cilantro, chopped
• fresh ground pepper
• 4 chicken thighs with skin on
• 1 Tbsp butter or margarine
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 cups (500mL) low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 can black beans, rinsed
• fresh cilantro
• 1 lime

Instructions

1. Firstly, combine first seven ingredients to make a marinade. In a bowl, coat the chicken with marinade. Allow the chicken to marinate at least 30 minutes or up to eight hours.
2. In a deep skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat.
3. Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade and place skin-side down in the pan. Cook with a lid on until no pink remains, about 20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
4. Add onion to the skillet along with a pinch of salt and cook for 3-5 minutes until soft and translucent. Note: if skillet is dry you will need to add more butter before adding onions.
5. Then add in peppers and cook, stirring until softened, about 3 minutes.
6. Stir in the turmeric, cumin, quinoa and stir until the quinoa is coated.
7. Pour in the chicken broth and black beans and stir to combine everything.
8. Increase the heat to high and simmer until liquid begins to be absorbed into the quinoa. Cooking quinoa takes approximately 20 minutes.
9. Finally, plate quinoa and black beans and add piece of chicken on top. Garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.