Pollo a la Plancha

Last month, I wrote about trying a Cuban dish called pollo a la plancha during our San Diego trip. It's a simple dish consisting of chicken cutlets grilled on a griddle and topped with onions. I was surprised with how much I enjoyed it. A few weeks ago, I threw together my own version for a quick Passover-friendly lunch. Ariel later told me how much she liked it, which is usually a one-way ticket to a blog post. As I'm not too experienced with Cuban cuisine, I won't claim this is particularly authentic, but I can guarantee it is delicious.

My original version used a boneless, skinless chicken breast butterflied and separated into two cutlets. This time, I had some thighs on hand instead. I think either cut works equally well, so go with whatever you have. This recipe ends up using only half an orange and about 3/4 of a lime, so I encourage you to use the leftovers to make yourself a drink. I served with rice, but a salad works, too.

Ingredients

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or one butterflied chicken breast)
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• Salt
• Olive oil
• Lime wedges

Marinade

• 1/2 lime, cut into wedges
• 1/2 orange, cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cumin

Instructions

Pound the chicken thin. If using breast, butterfly first. Place chicken in a Ziploc bag. Squeeze the juice from the lime and orange into the bag, then add the rinds. Add the oil, onion, garlic, paprika, and cumin. Zip up the bag and massage to coat the chicken. Place in refrigerator until ready to cook, optimally an hour, but less is fine.

In a large skillet (cast iron works well), heat olive oil on medium heat. Saute the sliced onions, stirring constantly. Cook until the onions are softened and turning translucent. Add the garlic and cook a few more minutes. Remove garlic and onions and set aside.

Add a bit more oil and turn the heat up to medium-high. Remove chicken from the marinade and shake off any stuck onions. Salt both sides of the cutlets and pan fry until browned on each side. Top the chicken with the onion and garlic and serve.