Recipe

Cuban Completa with Grilled Chicken

Name: Cuban Completa with Grilled Chicken
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 100 min
Ingredients: 250 g dried black beans, picked over and washed; Water for soaking and 1 l water for cooking (plus more if needed); ½ medium onion, chopped; ½ green pepper, chopped; 3 cloves garlic, crushed; 1 bay leaf; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 2 tablespoons oil; 1 tablespoon vinegar or a splash of dry wine (optional); Salt and pepper to taste; 2 cups long-grain white rice (360-400 g); 3 cups water (or as indicated by your rice variety); 1 tablespoon oil; 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste; 4 chicken breast fillets of 150-180 g each, uniform thickness; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; Juice of 1 lemon; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 2 tablespoons oil; Salt and pepper to taste; 2 very ripe cooking plantains, yellow skin with black spots; Oil for frying; 2 medium avocados, ripe but firm; A few drops of lemon and a pinch of salt, to taste

Cuban Completa with white rice, separately stewed black beans, grilled chicken breast, fried maduros, and avocado.

CiberCubaNovember 6, 2026

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Preparation25 min
Cooking1 h 15 min
Total time1 h 40 min
Servings4 servings
DifficultyEasy

In Cuba, we call Cuban Completa the abundant combination plate that has everything: rice, beans, a protein, and its sides. It is the lunchtime meal that fills you up, the one ordered at the neighborhood eatery, and the one assembled at home when you feel like sitting down at the table calmly.

This homemade version brings together five classics: fluffy white rice, black beans stewed with their sofrito and served separately, grilled chicken breast with garlic and lemon, well-caramelized fried maduros, and fresh avocado. Here, the rice and beans are not mixed during cooking: each is prepared on its own, and everyone assembles them on their plate as they prefer.

Method

Black beans

The night before, soak the beans in plenty of water for 8-12 hours. The next day, drain and rinse them.
Place the beans in a pot with 1 liter of clean water and the bay leaf. Cook until tender: about 25-35 minutes from when the pressure cooker builds pressure, or 75-100 minutes in a regular pot, adding hot water if needed. If using a pressure cooker, release the pressure according to the manufacturer's instructions.
In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and sauté the onion, green pepper, and garlic until softened. Add the cumin and oregano without letting them burn. Pour the sofrito into the tender beans, season with salt and pepper, and cook uncovered over low heat for 10-15 minutes. If you want to thicken the broth, mash a tablespoon of beans against the pot. Finish with vinegar or dry wine, if you like, and keep warm.
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White rice

Rinse the rice if your variety requires it. Place it in a pot with the water, salt, and oil. When boiling, cover, reduce heat to minimum, and cook for 15-18 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and it is tender. Do not stir while cooking.
Turn off the heat, let rest covered for 5 minutes, and fluff the grains with a fork. Do not add the beans: they go separately.
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Grilled chicken

Dry the fillets well. If they are too thick, butterfly or flatten them to make them even. Marinate with garlic, lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of oil, and let rest in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.
Heat a griddle or skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining oil. Place the breasts and cook for 4-6 minutes per side, depending on thickness, without moving them too much, until well browned and cooked through (74 °C in the center). Remove and let rest for a few minutes.
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Fried maduros

Peel the plantains and cut them into diagonal slices 1-1.5 cm thick. Fry in hot oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden and caramelized. Remove and drain on paper towels.
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Assembly

Just before serving, open the avocados and cut them into wedges or slices. Add a pinch of salt and a few drops of lemon, if desired.
On each large plate, serve a generous portion of white rice, a chicken fillet, several slices of maduro, and the avocado slices. Place the beans with a little of their broth next to the rice, without mixing them, or even better in a small separate bowl alongside the plate. ¡To the table!
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Tips and variations

Rice and beans separately: do not turn this into congrí or moros y cristianos. What defines this completa is that the white rice and black beans are cooked and served separately.
Shortcut with cooked beans: you can substitute the 250 g of dried black beans with about 600-700 g of cooked and drained black beans (roughly two large cans), with a little water or broth. Make the sofrito the same way and cook everything together for 12-15 minutes.
The plantain: ripeness is what gives the sweetness and that beautiful golden color. Look for plantains with yellow skin covered in many black spots. Do not confuse them with tostones, which are made with green plantains.
Juicy chicken: if you have a thermometer, the center should reach 74 °C. Let it rest for a few minutes before serving so it does not release its juices.
Storage: if there are leftover beans, keep them in the refrigerator separately, in a covered container, for up to 3-4 days; they taste even better the next day. The rice and chicken also last 2-3 days refrigerated. Always cut the avocado just before serving.