Cuban recipe

Cuban Completa with Garlic Fried Chicken, Congrí, Tostones and Cabbage Salad

Name: Cuban Completa with Garlic Fried Chicken, Congrí, Tostones and Cabbage Salad
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 165 min
Ingredients: 1.2 kg bone-in chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks); 6 garlic cloves, crushed; Juice of 3 limes; 2 teaspoons salt; ½ teaspoon pepper; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; Oil for frying (about 500 ml); 2 cups long-grain rice; 1 cup cooked red beans, drained; 4 cups of liquid in total: bean cooking liquid topped up with water; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, crushed; ½ teaspoon cumin; 2 tablespoons oil; Salt to taste; 3 green plantains; Oil for frying (about 400 ml); 1 cup water with 1 teaspoon salt for the brief dip; Salt to taste for finishing; ¼ cabbage (about 300 g), sliced very thin; Juice of 1 lime; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 pinch of salt

Crispy garlic and lime fried chicken, fluffy congrí, twice-fried tostones and a fresh cabbage salad: the Cuban Completa combination plate all on one plate.

CiberCubaNovember 11, 2026

AI-generated image.CiberCuba

Preparation30 min
Cooking1 h 15 min
Total time2 h 45 min
Servings4 servings
DifficultyMedium

The Cuban Completa, a combination plate, is that Sunday dish that brings it all together: rice with red beans cooked until perfectly fluffy, golden fried chicken with crispy skin, tostones and something fresh to balance the table.

This chicken is marinated with garlic and lime, left to rest and fried over medium heat, as in Cuban homes, so it stays juicy inside and crispy outside, without a thick coating. Everything is timed so it reaches the plate hot.

Method

Marinade

Dry the chicken pieces with paper towel, without washing them, and place them in a bowl. Mix garlic, lime, salt, pepper, cumin and oregano. Wash hands and utensils after handling raw chicken.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Rub the chicken with the marinade, also under the skin. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour; with 2 hours it will be more flavorful.

Congrí

Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil and sauté onion, bell pepper and garlic until softened. Add the cumin.
Add the rice and stir. Add the cup of drained cooked beans and the 4 cups of liquid measured separately, combining their cooking liquid with water. Adjust the salt.
Bring to a boil uncovered until the liquid reduces to the level of the rice. Lower the heat to the minimum, cover and cook about 20 minutes, until the rice is tender. Rest 5 minutes covered and fluff with a fork.

Tostones

Peel the green plantains and cut them into slices about 2 cm thick. Fry in batches over medium heat about 3 minutes per side, until tender and barely golden.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Drain and flatten each slice with a tostonera or a sturdy glass to about ½ cm. Away from the heat, dip them briefly in salted water and dry them very well with paper towel; no drops should remain before returning to the oil.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Fry again in batches in hot oil, without letting it smoke, about 1-3 minutes per side until golden. Drain and salt.

Fried chicken

Remove the chicken from the marinade just before cooking. Discard any leftover marinade, remove excess garlic from the skin and dry the pieces well.
Heat the oil in a deep skillet to about 170-175 °C. Fry in batches, without crowding, about 10 minutes per side; adjust time and heat to the size of the pieces so they do not burn on the outside.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Check for at least 74 °C in the center of the thickest pieces, without touching the bone. Cook longer if needed; do not rely only on the skin or juices. Drain on a rack or paper towel and let rest 5 minutes.

Salad and assembly

Mix the washed, thinly sliced cabbage with lime, olive oil and salt just before serving.
Serve hot congrí, fried chicken and tostones alongside the fresh cabbage salad.

Tips and variations

Chicken: do not wash the raw pieces; dry them with paper towel and wash hands, cutting board and utensils afterwards. Check for at least 74 °C in the thickest part, without touching the bone. Clear juices or golden skin are not enough to confirm it is cooked.

Garlic and frying: drain the marinade, remove the surface garlic and dry the pieces before frying to reduce splattering. Discard any leftover marinade. Fry in batches without crowding, without letting the oil smoke, and adjust the heat so the skin does not burn before the center is cooked.

Congrí and timing: this recipe starts with red beans that are already cooked. Measure one cup drained and set its cooking liquid aside; top up with water to get 4 cups of liquid in total for the rice. The 165 minutes include 30 of preparation, at least 60 of refrigerated marinating and 75 of coordinated cooking. Using dried beans or marinating longer adds time.

Tostones: the salt water dip should be brief and done away from the heat. Dry the surface completely with paper towel before the second frying; no drops should remain.

Storage and serving: refrigerate cooked food promptly in shallow containers, preferably eat within 1-2 days and reheat to 74 °C. Serve the salad fresh, not hot. Chicken and tostones are best freshly made.