Easy Bistec de Pollo Recipe – 30-Mins Cuban Griddled Chicken
This classic Cuban dish, bistec de pollo recipe is mouthwatering. Elevate tonight’s dinner with this beautiful homage to pollo a la plancha, a celebration of robust flavors, tender bites, and the warmth of traditional Latin cooking.
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Chicken Steak.
Bistec de pollo, also known as chicken steak or pollo a la plancha, is boneless, skinless chicken breasts, marinated in mojo and griddled. Its sister variation is milanesa de pollo (chicken milanese), similarly seasoned but breaded and fried. Both delicious and perfect for an easy meal! By far one of my favorite dishes from Cuban cuisine.
This popular dish is a classic in Cuban restaurants. Pollo a la plancha or griddled steak, is loved back home in Puerto Rico, too, but also throughout the rest of the Caribbean and other Latin American countries.
Bistec de pollo is typically accompanied by white rice, black beans, and fried or sweet plantains. For a full-proof white rice, check out this easy Puerto Rican White Rice recipe. I like to use jasmine rice but whatever you have will work.
Ingredients for Bistec de Pollo.
You only need a few pieces of equipment for this recipe:
The ingredients are simple are easily replaceable if you are missing any:
- Chicken breast
- Fresh orange juice
- Lime juice
- Garlic powder
- Salt to taste
- Freshly grind black pepper to taste
- Oregano
- Coriander
- Ground cumin
- Citrus garlic seasoning (optional)
- Yellow onion sliced
- Lime wedges for garnish (optional)
- Olive oil
Variations.
Boneless, skinless chicken breast is the typical cut used for the bistec de pollo recipe. However, you can use boneless chicken thighs, chicken cutlets, or any chicken pieces you have at home. Even bone-in pieces for extra flavor and health benefits!
The marinade is very similar to a mojo marinade, or garlic sauce. Made of citrus, oil, and spices, tenderizes the meat beautifully while adding a punch of flavor. If you are interested in testing out a couple of different mojos, check out these simple recipes.
As far as the citrus element of the recipe I prefer the fresh orange/lime juice combination. Some people use sour orange juice, which is delicious, too. Feel free to use lemon juice or whatever citrus you prefer so long as it goes with the herbs utilized in the recipe. Your kitchen, your rules!
Storage.
Any leftover chicken should be stored in an airtight container, and refrigerated for up to four days. To reheat the chicken, you can use the microwave or place the chicken in a skillet with some water over medium-high heat. Cover it and allow it to come to temperature for close to 10 minutes.
I hope you enjoyed this delicious bistec de pollo recipe! It is so easy to make and yet full of flavor and perfect for dinner time, especially after a long day. Feel free to share if you made any changes and how you liked it.
As always, ¡buen provecho from The Happy Wookiee!
Easy Bistec de Pollo Recipe - 30-Mins Cuban Griddled Chicken
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Meat Mallet (tenderizer)
- Long tongs
- 1 Large mixing bowl or dish
Ingredients
- 2-4 pieces chicken breast *
- 1 oz fresh orange juice *
- 1 oz lime juice *
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp citrus garlic seasoning optional
- salt to taste
- freshly grind black pepper to taste
- 1 yellow onion sliced
- lime wedges for garnish optional
- 3 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice, orange juice, 1 tbsp oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, oregano, coriander, and cumin. Set aside.
- Butterfly chicken breast and cover it with plastic wrap over a cutting board, or place it in a resealable bag. With a meat mallet, tenderize the chicken until it reaches ½ inch thickness.
- Place the chicken in a bowl and pour marinade over it. Use tongs to toss it in the marinade and coat it well.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to marinate. In the meantime, prepare your white rice and beans!
- After marinating, set a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Once hot, pour about 2 tablespoons of oil over it.
- Place the chicken breast in the skillet and fry about 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Then remove from the skillet and set them aside to rest.
- Turn the heat to the lowest setting. Add the sliced onions and stir them constantly around the browned bits. Do not worry about burning them. They will release moisture while absorbing the deliciousness left behind by the chicken.
- Squeeze a lime wedge or two over the sauteed onions. Stir them again a couple of times then remove them from the pan. (Optional but flavorful!)
- Place the cooked onions over the bistec de pollo, and serve with white rice, black beans, plantains, and avocado slices (or a green salad).
- ¡Buen provecho from The Happy Wookiee!
