Name: Cuban-Style Pollo a la Plancha (Marinated and Griddled Chicken) Recipe
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Latin American
Ingredients: 6 medium cloves garlic; 1/4 cup (60ml) freshly squeezed orange juice (from about 1 orange); 1/4 cup (60ml) freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 2 limes); 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin; 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice (optional); Kosher salt; 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 10 ounces; 285g each) or 8 chicken cutlets; 1 tablespoon (15ml) neutral oil such as canola or vegetable, plus more as needed; 1 large white or yellow onion (about 3/4 pound; 340g); sliced crosswise into 1/4 inch thick rings; Cooked long-grain rice and black beans, for serving; Picked cilantro leaves, for serving; Lime wedges, for serving

1 Using a blender or food processor, purée garlic, orange juice, lime juice, cumin, oregano, black pepper, allspice (if using), and 2 teaspoons kosher salt until well blended. (Alternatively, to make with a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic with the salt to form a paste, then mix in the rest of the ingredients. Alternatively, finely grate or mince the garlic and stir together with the remaining ingredients in a small bowl.)

2 If using chicken breast halves, cut into cutlets following our instructions here , pounding to an even thickness of about 1/4 inch. (If desired, you can butterfly the breast halves by not fully cutting all the way through, so that they open like a book; butterflied breasts also need to be pounded to an even thickness.)

3 Place chicken cutlets in a large zipper-lock bag or shallow baking or glass storage dish. Add marinade, making sure it coats chicken evenly all over. Press out excess air and seal zipper-lock bag, or cover dish with plastic or a lid. Refrigerate for 30 minutes; if chicken is in a dish, turn it once halfway through.

4 Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade and wipe off any excess. In a stainless steel skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches, if necessary, to prevent crowding the pan, add the chicken cutlets and cook until golden brown on each side, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer cooked cutlets to a platter and cover with foil or place in a low oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining chicken, adding more oil if the pan gets too dry.

5 In the same skillet that you cooked the chicken, add more oil if the pan is dry and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion rings, season with salt, and sauté until the onions have softened a bit and started to brown, 7 to 10 minutes; lower heat and/or add a small splash of water if the contents of the pan threaten to burn.

6 Arrange cutlets on serving plates and top with browned onions. Serve with black beans and rice and garnish with cilantro leaves and lime wedges.