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Taking sheet pan dinners to a whole new level with this Sheet Pan Cuban Chicken With Citrus Avocado Salsa.
I didn’t mean for this to happen, but apparently this week’s recipes are all about winter citrus. From Monday’s salmon, to yesterday’s smoothie, and on to today’s Cuban chicken. Citrus obsessed? Maybe just a little, but I’m fully embracing all the produce winter has to offer and loving it!
Do you know what I’m also loving? Sheet pan dinners, which you will soon realize, as I have a few more sheet pan recipes coming your way this month. Like most everyone else in the world, I’m all about a dinner that can be made entirely on one pan. Using just one pan means less to clean, minimal hands-on time, and typically a pretty quick-cooking meal. Uh? A big fat yes to that!
All of the above means more time to spend cozied up by the fire on these super cold January nights. And when I say super cold, I mean super freaking cold. I’m talking a brisk five degrees…although I shouldn’t be complaining, because this is the mellowest winter ever here in Colorado. I think you guys on the east coast might be having colder temps, in which case, you should definitely be cozied up by the fire while this Cuban chicken cooks in the oven.
Just saying.
Anyway, when I was brainstorming recipes for the month, I knew that I really wanted to incorporate all the beautiful winter citrus. For whatever reason, whenever it comes oranges, grapefruits, and other winter citrus, my first thought is to just simply eat them, as opposed to using them in recipes. Growing up, my dad didn’t cook with much citrus (not even lemons or limes), but we ate plenty of oranges and grapefruits as snacks. It wasn’t until I started cooking that I learned how delicious citrus can be in savory recipes.
I feel like I don’t use citrus enough. It’s truly one of the best additions to so many recipes, and when I actually put a little thought into it, I find there are a million and one ways to use these vibrant fruits in savory ways.
Enter this Cuban Chicken.
Cuban cuisine is known for being extra citrusy, so it’s the perfect kind of food to make during these winter months when the grocery store is filled to the brim with blood oranges, Cara Cara oranges, grapefruits, and those cute little clementines.
Like most sheet pan recipes, this one is pretty simple. Season your chicken, add your veggies…roast, roast, roast…and while that’s happening make the salsa. Serve it all up and done!
It’s literally a two-step process. In turn, you’ll have the most perfect citrusy chicken dinner complete with roasted potatoes, veggies, and even salsa. I mean, I’m not sure it gets better.
The chicken is pretty classically seasoned with a good amount of fresh orange and lime juice, plenty of garlic, oregano, and cumin. If you have extra time, I highly recommend marinating the chicken for a couple of hours before roasting to really intensify the flavor and to make for an extra tender and moist chicken.
The salsa…
To go along with the chicken, potatoes, and peppers, I made a quick salsa. I used the cutest little blood oranges that friends brought for me all the way from their California backyard! They’re under-ripe right now, so they don’t have their bright red hue just yet, but I kind of love their extra tart flavor. They make for a perfect salsa to spoon over top this chicken. The salsa adds a pop of fresh greens and zingy citrus flavor.
You CANNOT skip it.
It’s my favorite part, but then I say that about every fruit salsa recipe (I’m obsessed).
And lastly, if all my rambling on about how good this recipe is has yet to convince you to make it, just look at all the pretty colors happening here. The colors alone tell you this is a must-make recipe.
Pretty food = GOOD food.
OKAY, that might not always be true, but in today’s case, it’s true, you need to make this chicken!
Looking for more sheet pan recipes…click here!
if you make this Sheet Pan Cuban Chicken With Citrus Avocado Salsa, 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 tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch the How-To Video:
Sheet Pan Cuban Chicken With Citrus Avocado Salsa
Servings: 6 servings
Calories Per Serving: 451 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons orange zest + orange juice
- zest + juice of 1 lime
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 sweet onion, sliced
- 2 russet potatoes, cut into wedges
- 1 bell pepper sliced
- 1 small orange, sliced
Citrus Avocado Salsa
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1 orange, diced
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
- juice from 1 lime
- pinch of flaky sea salt
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.2. On a rimmed baking sheet, combine the chicken, 2 tablespoons olive oil, the garlic, oregano, cumin, cayenne, orange juice + zest, lime juice + zest, and a large pinch each of salt and pepper. Toss well to evenly coat the chicken. Add the onions, potatoes, 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. Add the orange slices and then transfer to the oven. Roast for 40-45 minutes, tossing halfway through cooking until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes golden. 3. Meanwhile, make the salsa. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine. 4. To serve, top the chicken with the salsa. Eat!
You do.
What color bell peppers work best?
Sorry – didn’t mean to leave a 3 star rating as I have not yet made this, but plan to make it tonight.
Hi Brandi,
Red, green, yellow all work great! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Didn’t have a lot of time and didn’t want to go to the store. This recipe was perfect for what I had on hand and was SO good. I can always count on Half-Baked Harvest when looking for a delicious recipe. I can not wait to continue trying new ones in my HBH Every Day cookbook also. Tons of great recipes! Thank you Tieghan.
Hi Mary,
Awesome!! So glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Thanks for your kind message!! xT
This was delicious and easy! My husband and I especially loved the addition of the citrus salsa. I went heavy on the cayenne and ended up shamefully subbing spinach for cilantro (how do we NOT have cilantro??). Next time, I think we’ll throw the potatoes in the oven 10-25min before everything else, but otherwise I wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you again, Tieghan!
Hey Chelsea,
Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was a winner! xTieghan
This was so easy and so delicious! I used sweet potatoes instead of the white and the sweet/spicy combination was awesome. The salsa on top made the dish so fresh…definitely a keeper!
Hey Tracy,
That’s great!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for making it! xxT
It was delish..don’t skip the salsa. Easy one pan meal.
Hi there! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! 🙂 xTieghan
I’m a little late to the game 😉 but I just “discovered” you on Pinterest. Your website is amazing! The pictures are compelling. Just had to start with that.
The Cuban Chicken was life-changing. My husband and I put this together with just minor subs due to a depleted pantry. We used a tiny pinch of chipotle instead of cayenne; basil in the tube instead of fresh, as our basil was finished for the season; finely minced onion instead of shallot and had no bell peppers. We were blown away by the deep citrus flavor and how incredibly moist the chicken was. We’re looking for healthier, easier meals, and this is our new favorite. We can’t wait to dive into your other sheet pan meals, not to mention all of the other recipes.
Hey there,
Happy Sunday! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner. Thanks a lot for giving it a try! xTieghan
It wouldn’t let me reply on my earlier post of Feb 14, 2021 so I did a new one. The recipe came out even more delicious than it smelled while cooking. I’m making it again, this time with pork, as I want to make it for some family and not all will eat chicken. The salsa is amazing! You don’t want to omit this part, as it put an already delicious dish over the top. Love your recipes, thanks for sharing them.
Hey Mary,
I am so glad you have enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for making it! Have a great week! xTieghan
I’m making this now and wish I had watched the video first, as the oranges and avocado in the salsa aren’t diced. Diced to me means small cubes. The oranges are peeled and sliced into rounds and the avocados are quarted and sliced. But it smells delicious and I’m sure it will taste delicious as well.
Hey Mary Ann,
I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
I make a recipe from HBH at least once a week and this is by far in my top 3. I go back to it over and over. Soooo delicious and tastes so fresh. I love it
Hey Megan,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Easy to make and delicious. Slight kick of heat from the cayenne. I’ve enjoyed many of the recipes from this site.
Hey there,
I am so thrilled that you have enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for making it:) xTieghan
I made this recipe the other night and it was a hit! I actually marinated the chicken for couple hours in the fridge instead of tossing it together and immediately baking it. I also used baby red, purple and fingerling potatoes. It turned out SO good! The salsa is the best part; I doubled the recipe and didn’t regret it. I love going through some of your old recipes and incorporating them into my menu for the week. And having a video included in the post is super helpful. Thanks Tieghan!
Hey Megan,
Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
“2 tablespoons orange zest + orange juice”
How much orange juice??
Thank you.
Hey Amy,
About 2 tablespoons of orange juice. I hope you love the recipe. Let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was delicious. I was out of cumin so substituted a bit of chili powder and turmeric. The salsa is a game changer! This is a keeper for sure.
Hey Maribeth,
Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, I am thrilled that you liked it! I hope you have a great week:) xTieghan
The Cuban sheet-pan chicken was delicious – and beautiful! I’ve made several things found on your site, and each has been so very good. The eggnog cinnamon rolls were a huge hit, I’m using the last of the eggnog tomorrow to make one more batch – I’d better give these away though….the Covid 10 pounds is real:)
I only recently discovered your website and love it, have recommended it to several foodie-home-cooks!
I look forward to cooking with you this year, my fellow Coloradan!
Hey Susan,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This recipe is easy, has so much flavor and a great kick. My only recommendation is to put the potatos in 30 mins before the chicken so it’s extra crispy. Definitely saving this one for the future!
Hey Colleen,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan