Cilantro Orange Chicken with Black Beans and Roasted Vegetables
Cilantro Orange Chicken is so flavorful, fresh, and not that much work - I absolutely recommend this quick and easy meal! Serve it with roasted bell peppers, a big batch of black beans, and maybe some rice or fried plantains(!!)
2poundsbell peppersabout 4-5, (sweet are best, but a green one is good too)
optional: 1 pound zucchinito bulk up the veg content
For the (Optional) Cuban Black Beans:
½mediumonion
2clovesgarlic
1teaspoondried oregano
1teaspoonground cumin
½Tablespoontomato paste
2cansblack beansneed about 2-3 cups cooked
1cupwaterabout
½teaspoonsalt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425ºF.
For the Sauce: Cut the jalapeño into chunks, removing ribs and seeds if desired. Combine the garlic, jalapeño, and cilantro in a food processor or blender and pulse until finely chopped. Add the orange juice, spices, and olive oil and blend just until well combined.
For the Chicken: Spread the chicken out in a large casserole dish and lightly salt both sides. Cover with about ⅓ - ½ a cup of the sauce, moving the chicken around to make sure you get the tops and bottoms. Set aside to marinate for 20 minutes, or up to two hours. (If you marinate chicken in a citrus marinade for too long, it might start to “cook” the chicken and it will turn out tough. 2 hours is usually the max.)
For the peppers: remove the seeds and stems and chop into 1-inch bite-sized pieces. Toss with about ¼ cup of the sauce and spread out on a large silicone-lined baking sheet. (Combine with chopped zucchini before roasting if desired.)
When the oven is to temp and the chicken has been marinating at least 20 minutes, place both the chicken and the peppers in the oven. The chicken should take about 18-20 minutes, and the peppers will take about 20.
Feel free to use a meat thermometer to check the chicken temperature to be sure. (You could also roast these all together in one dish if you want to save on dishes!)
For the black beans: In a large pot, sauté the onion until soft and fragrant, add the minced garlic for another minute, stirring well. Add the oregano, cumin, and tomato paste and stir until combined. Add the drained black beans, water, and salt. Simmer until most of the water has evaporated and the beans are somewhat stew-like. You can smash some against the side of the pot if desired. Taste and add more salt if needed.