Cuban-Style Chicken Rice Bake
Posted on April 16 2020
Made with chicken breasts, brown rice, beans and a rich, tasty tomato sauce, topped with cheese and baked until golden and bubbling… An easy, hearty meal that the whole family will love! Cuban-Style Chicken Rice Bake is one recipe you NEED to try!
![Cuban-Style Chicken Rice Bake | berrysweetlife.com](https://www.berrysweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Cuban-Style-Chicken-Rice-Bake-5.x38827.jpg)
I suggest you try it SOON.
I’d even go so far as to say Cuban-Style Chicken Rice Bake is my favourite dinner recipe of the year!
It’s one of those simple go-to recipes that you can throw together with mostly pantry staples, and essential fresh ingredients that most of us have on-hand all the time.
And yet.
Cuban-Style Chicken Rice Bake looks and tastes impressive 😉
![Cuban-Style Chicken Rice Bake | berrysweetlife.com](https://www.berrysweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Cuban-Style-Chicken-Rice-Bake-3.x38827.jpg)
The aromas wafting out of your kitchen while you prepare this dish are enough to raise a few curious eyebrows, I can assure you.
And the actual flavours, colours and textures of the finished product do not disappoint.
You will also love: Baked Chicken Pasta With Coconut Sauce, Cheats Healthy Beef & Brinjal Moussaka, Clean Eating Carrot Turmeric Ginger Soup. Also give this Costa Rican Gallo Pinto recipe a try for something exotic and different.
I love that this is a one-dish dinner…Meaning you really don’t need to prepare any sides with it. Everything you need is in there.
![Cuban-Style Chicken Rice Bake | berrysweetlife.com](https://www.berrysweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Cuban-Style-Chicken-Rice-Bake-1.x38827.jpg)
BUT, if you’re like me and you want to get your greens in at every opportunity, then a simple green salad would suffice.
Anyhoo, either way…
What exactly goes into this wonderfully flavourful Cuban-Style Chicken Rice Bake:
- Chicken breasts
- Brown rice
- Red kidney beans, or black beans (I have tried both in this dish and they’re equally delish)
- Onion, garlic, bell peppers, coconut oil, herbs and spices
- Tomato paste, canned diced tomato
- Lemon zest and juice
- Grated cheese that you love
![Cuban-Style Chicken Rice Bake | berrysweetlife.com](https://www.berrysweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Cuban-Style-Chicken-Rice-Bake-2.x38827.jpg)
If you have an oven-safe skillet (jelly over here – first stop once isolation ends!), now’s the time to bust that bad boy out! If not, no worries, you can still make this dish very successfully.
How to make Cuban-Style Chicken Rice Bake in a nutshell:
- Fry onion, garlic, bell peppers, herbs and spices, push to one side
- Fry brown rice until golden, cook tomato paste
- Pour in diced tomato and water and simmer 20 minutes
- Add cubed chicken breasts and genlty simmer for another 20 minutes
- Stir in the beans, lemon zest and juice
- If using an oven-safe skillet, top with cheese and bake until golden and bubbling
- If not, transfer everything to a baking dish, top with cheese and bake until golden and bubbling
Serve hot and savour every moment!!
Simple, mouth-wateringly delicious, and SO SATISFYING!
![Cuban-Style Chicken Rice Bake | berrysweetlife.com](https://www.berrysweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Cuban-Style-Chicken-Rice-Bake-6.x38827.jpg)
Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer.
Happy cooking everyone, I hope these recipes are bringing you some light relief from the heaviness in the world right now.
Feel free to drop me a comment if you make this recipe, I’d LOVE to know what you think!
And tag me on instagram with a photo of your dish!! @berry_sweet_life
![Cuban-Style Chicken Rice Bake | berrysweetlife.com](https://www.berrysweetlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Cuban-Style-Chicken-Rice-Bake-5-150x150.x38827.jpg)
Made with chicken breasts, brown rice, beans and a rich, tasty tomato sauce, topped with cheese and baked until golden and bubbling… An easy, hearty meal that the whole family will love!
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 3 – 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1/2 red bell pepper , chopped
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper , chopped
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper , add more if you like it spicy!
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp sweet basil
- 2 tsp mixed herbs
- 1 cup brown rice , or rice of choice
- 50 g tomato paste
- 400 g canned diced tomato
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 4 chicken breasts , cubed
- 400 g canned red kidney beans or black beans , drained and rinsed
- Zest and juice of 1/2 small lemon or lime
- Himalayan pink salt , to taste
- 1 cup grated cheese of choice , I used mature cheddar
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In a large frying pan or oven-safe skillet, heat coconut oil and fry onion for about 5 minutes until starting to brown, add the garlic and bell peppers and fry for another 5 minutes. Now add cayenne pepper, cumin, turmeric, ginger, basil and mixed herbs and fry for 1 minute.
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Push everything to the side of the pan and fry the rice for 4 minutes until going golden, add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add diced tomato and water, bring to a boil, then turn heat down to a gentle simmer for 20 minutes.
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Stir in the chicken and simmer for a further 20 – 25 minutes or until the rice and chicken are cooked through and the sauce is thick.
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Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).
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Take off heat, stir in black beans, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt. If using an oven-safe skillet, top with cheese and bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling. If using a normal frying pan, transfer everything to a baking dish, top with cheese and bake as above.
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Serve as desired with additional lemon or lime and ENJOY!
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