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Keeping it colorful today with this Sheet Pan Cuban Chicken and Black Bean Rice Bowl. Spicy citrus seasoned chicken that’s inspired by cuban flavors, for an easy meal that’s healthy, and truly delicious. Complete each bowl with steamed rice, black beans, homemade mango salsa, and avocado. This dinner is packed with fresh flavors and healthy ingredients, great for any night of the week. Bonus? This easily doubles as a meal prep style recipe that can be cooked ahead, packed-up, and kept handy for busy days.
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You know what’s funny? I’ve rewritten parts of this post multiple times, and I’ve now circled back, after writing out the end. Sometimes I find it easier to write the things I know I NEED to say, then go back, reread, and adjust. It helps to get my thoughts down, then organize later. This probably is not the correct way to write, but I guess you do what works for you, right?
Anyway, after a weekend spent writing, I think my brain is a little frazzled and not as fresh as I’d like for it to be. I was supposed to spend the weekend in Aspen for X-Games, since Red was competing. Honestly, I don’t go to watch many snowboard competitions. But X-Games is one I always try to make it out to, since it’s in Colorado and so nearby. I’ve gone every year Red’s competed. Unfortunately, I had to bail out this year in order to meet some work deadlines.
Not going to lie, I was a little bummed. I ended up watching the live stream of the event. I’m SO proud of Red…and very relieved that he smoothly landed all but one run. That kid will never not impress me. He’s always putting his best foot forward and loving life while at it. And he’s always been able to bring a smile to my face, which if you know me can sometimes be harder than you may think.
Since I spent the weekend writing, I’m really excited to be spending the week mostly in the kitchen. And mostly behind my camera, yeah!
I’m also very happy to finally be sharing this recipe, as it’s a good one.
I realized the other week that it’s been a while since I shared a good meal prep style recipe. I can sometimes get tunnel vision and focus solely on the things I’m craving, which right now is pretty much, pizza, pasta, pizza, and soup. Lot’s of soup actually.
Can you blame me though? It is legitimately so freezing outside. All I want to do come the end of a long snowy day is curl up in a blanket with my favorite comfort foods. Tell me you know the feeling?
What I sometimes forget is that chicken and rice are also comfort foods. They can be just as satisfying at the end of a long day as a casserole. In an effort to add a touch of tropical flare, and a good amount of color to my life, I created this Cuban inspired bowl. Which just so happens to be perfect for meal prepping. Which is great for this week ahead, as it’s going to be a busy one. Full of recipe photoshoots for a big project we’ve been working on, conference calls, and one of our first “real” meetings at the studio.
It’s always nice during crazy weeks to have a few meals prepped and ready to go in the fridge. Just one less thing on the to-do list, which is always welcome these days!
It’s probably no secret, but I love using sheet pans (did you catch last weeks sheet pan salmon??). They save me from washing dish after dish. Life is made easier when you can cook your entire meal (or most of it anyway) together on ONE pan.
Yes, please.
Alright, here are the details.
Working on your trusty sheet pan, season some cubed chicken with lots of fresh citrus, oregano, cumin, and spicy cayenne. Add onions and bell peppers and cook everything together until the chicken is cooked throughout and those onions are broken down and caramelized.
While that’s happening, make a batch of rice and mix up a quick mango salsa. By the time the chicken is done cooking, the rice should be ready and the salsa mixed up. Combine everything together with some black beans and avocado and your bowl is complete.
Super simple, super flavorful. My favorite part is the mango salsa. But that’s probably no surprise to you guys, since you all know how much I adore fruit salsa.
As mentioned above, you can prep this all on a Sunday or Monday. Then pack it up into your favorite meal prep containers to take to work for lunch. Or save at home, for a fast and healthy dinner any night of the week.
Complete perfection. Enjoy and happy Monday guys!
If you make this cuban chicken bowl, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Sheet Pan Cuban Chicken and Black Bean Rice Bowl.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons orange zest, and orange juice
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 2 red or orange bell pepper, sliced
- 3 cups steamed white or brown rice
- 1 can (14 ounce) black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 avocado, sliced
Mango Salsa
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.2. On a rimmed baking sheet, combine the chicken, 2 tablespoons olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, oregano, cumin, cayenne, orange juice + zest, and lime juice + zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss well to evenly coat the chicken. Add the onions and bell peppers and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Arrange everything in an even layer. Transfer to the oven. Roast for 20-25 minutes, tossing halfway through cooking until the chicken is cooked through and the onions have caramelized. 3. Meanwhile, make the salsa. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine.4. To serve, spoon the rice into bowls and top with black beans, chicken, peppers, and onions. Add avocado and the mango salsa to each bowl. Enjoy!
To Meal Prep
- 1. Prepare as directed above through step 3. 2. Divide the rice among 4-6 storage containers and arrange the black beans chicken, peppers, and onions on top. Store the salsa and avocado separately and add just before serving. 3. Alternately, you can store the rice, chicken, and veggies in separate containers and assemble when ready. Food will keep in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. 4. Before serving, warm each bowl, if desired, and top with mango salsa and avocado.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
I can’t get enough of these recipes! This one is especially fantastic exactly as written, and it’s so easy. The zest and juice make the chicken SO flavorful. However, we topped with Mrs. Renfro’s hot mango salsa because fresh mangos in the northern U.S. during the spring are a joke. I can’t wait to make it again this summer!
I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you! Thank you so much Alex! xTieghan
Made this last night–huge hit! I’ve used the Goya Mojo Criollo marinade in the past and this was a fresh take on it. Almost didn’t make the mango salsa but so glad I did–So easy and so delicious !
So amazing to hear! Thank you for making this Jill! xTieghan
Made this recipe last night! It was delicious and stores well for meal prep. I used Whole Food’s fresh mango salsa and sub’d white rice with brown rice. The orange and lime zest was a great addition .Very refreshing and healthy but also filling! Will definitely be making again!
Thank you Kendall! I am so glad you enjoyed this! xTieghan
This was perfection! Thank you for the awesome recipe. Love your Cuban black bean recipe in your cookbook, too. Your meal prep/bowl recipes are always fantastic.
Thank you so much Elle! I am so happy you loved this and I hope you love other bowls on my site! xTieghan
We loved this! Eating healthy has never been tastier.
Thank you Christin! xTieghan
I see the comment below about how much orange juice and zest to use, but is it 2 tablespoons each of orange juice and orange zest? Or just 2 tablespoons total?
Hey Jenn, it is 2 tablespoons juice and 2 tablespoons zest Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
YUM! I made these tonight and they were fantastic. I can’t wait to have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. I was putting off making these because it seemed like a lot of steps, so for those hesitating: I used frozen brown rice and jarred mango salsa. Husband and I agreed the homemade mango salsa would take it over the top but the chicken and veggies were so flavorful it was delicious with the store-bought stuff.
I am so glad you loved this bowl, Hilary! Thank you so much! xTieghan
Love this dish!
Thank you Mary Ann! xTieghan
I made this recipe for my week’s meal prep and it was wonderful! Although it was really flavorful, I wish I marinated the chicken in the juice for a few hours to infuse more of the cuban flavors. I actually just bought mango salsa and cooked brown rice in my instant pot to save time. I also fried some plantains in coconut oil to give it some more Caribbean flair. This recipe is a great way to bring some flavor and heat into your weekday!
Thank you so much Chelsea! I am so glad you loved this recipe and it turned out amazing for you!
I would just say, this is really really good. I am a trained chef so I do cook all the time and love to try your combinations, many have worked great for me. This one is especially good, I did double the recipe for the marinade, (I like it juicy), also I added some skirt steak into the marinade and let both chicken and steak marinate in the refrigerator for 12 hours, (I grilled the steak). I absolutely loved the flavors. Thank you so much for this. The mango salsa is good too. I used a combo of different wild, brown and white rice. Love the website, but would comment that it’s hard to really evaluate a recipe that people just comment that it looks pretty or sounds good, and they want to make it. I love to hear how people making the recipes liked it. I am saying this because it happens a lot.
I am so glad you loved this Sandy!! Thank you!
This looks so tasty! Do you think the salsa would work with thawed frozen mango or would it be too watery? It can be hard to find good fresh mangoes in rural Wisconsin!
HI! Yes, thaw mango chunks will work just fine. Just thaw them, drain off any excess liquid and then use in the salsa. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
This was a great meal! I loved the hands off nature of the tray bake, plus it’s so quick to cook since the chicken is cut up! I added the beans to the rice cooker to warm up a bit, plus some fresh corn, cut off the cob (since it’s summer here in NZ) and doubled the amount of capsicums (bell peppers) as i had heaps from the garden! Will definitely add into the rotation, thanks for the inspiration.
Thank you so much Juliet! I am so glad you loved this bowl!
My family loved this meal. It will definitely be in our regular rotation. Love sheet pan recipes!
That is so great! Thank you so much Leslie!
This was VERY good. I made it for dinner but will most certainly meal prep this times two for lunches. All the sheet pan recipes, please!
Thank you Sarah!
I LOVE this recipe!! So easy and delicious and something tropical during this freeze! My boyfriend could not get enough of it last night. I made the coconut rice recipe from the hula pork fajitas recipe and it went really well this chicken. Thanks again for another easy, flavorful recipe! You never disappoint.
Thank you so much Rachel! I am so glad you loved this bowl!