Mojo Chicken with Arroz Congri

Alright, time for another Hello Fresh keeper recipe! This Cuban-style meal is a bit more involved than a lot of their dishes, but well worth the effort! The original recipe was made with pork loin, so feel free to substitute that back in.  

I’m quite glad I got around to making this again. It’s so flavorful with the bright citrus, creaminess from the avocado and sauce, crunchy slaw, and perfectly tender chicken. As it’s still summer (and one of the hottest days of the season so far at 98 degrees), I didn’t want to turn on the oven. Luckily, we have a toaster oven that fits two chicken breasts perfectly. As the toaster oven takes longer to bake (and I’m honestly not sure on the timing for chicken vs pork as the recipe was written for), I just stuck a meat thermometer in and set it to 165 F. It turned out absolutely perfect. I don’t think it could have been more perfect if I had used a sous vide. Now that I think of it, that also would have been a great way to cook the chicken without heating up the apartment... 

Mojo Chicken with Arroz Congri

Ingredients 

• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 teaspoon olive oil 
• 4 cloves of garlic 
• 1 15 oz can of black beans
• 1/2 cup Jasmine rice
• 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons chicken stock, divided
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or 12 oz pork tenderloin)
• 1 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, divided
• 2 tablespoons cumin, divided 
• 1/4 oz fresh cilantro 
• 1 orange 
• 1 lime 
• 3 oz carrots
• 4 oz shredded cabbage (red or green)
• 6 tablespoons sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise 
• 1 avocado 
• Salt 
• Pepper 

1. Preheat oven to 450 F and line a small baking sheet with foil. Drizzle both sides of chicken with oil, then season with 3/4 teaspoon cumin, salt, and pepper. Roast 20 - 25 minutes, or until a thermometer reads 165 F. 
2. Mince 2 cloves of garlic and drain and rinse the beans. In a medium pot over medium high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beans, rice, 3/4 cup chicken stock, 1 teaspoon cumin, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 - 20 minutes, until rice is tender. Keep covered until ready to serve. 
3. Peel the carrot and grate using the large holes of a box grater.  Mince the other two cloves of garlic. Remove the cilantro leaves from the stems and finely chop them. 
4. In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, 2 cloves of minced garlic, chopped cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste. Reserve 2 tablespoons for later use. Add the cabbage and carrots, along with the juice from 1/4 of the lime. Stir to combine.  Season with pepper or salt to taste. 
5. Halve, pit, peel, and slice the avocado. Place the slices in a small bowl and gently stir in the juice of 1/4 of the lime, 1/4 teaspoon oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. To make the mojo sauce, juice the orange and the remaining 1/2 lime. Combine the juices with the remaining 2 tablespoons chicken stock, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, and 1 teaspoon oregano in a small pan. Heat over medium high, cooking until slightly thickened, 3 - 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of butter until melted. Season with pepper. 
6. Fluff the rice with a fork and add 1 tablespoon butter, stirring until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Thinly slice the chicken breasts. Divide rice between two plates and top with reserved sour cream sauce. Divide the chicken between the plates and spoon the mojo sauce over top. Serve with the slaw and the avocado. 
7. Enjoy!