Recipe

Grilled Chicken Thighs with Cuban Mojo and Congrí

Name: Grilled Chicken Thighs with Cuban Mojo and Congrí
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 805 min
Ingredients: 10 to 12 bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks (1.5-1.8 kg total); 180 ml sour orange juice; 7 large garlic cloves, crushed; 1 medium onion in thin slices; 3 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 ½ teaspoons salt; ½ teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 bay leaf (optional); Charcoal for the grill; 1 ½ cups long-grain rice (about 285 g), washed and drained; 1 cup cooked and drained black beans (170-200 g); 2 ¼ cups (about 540 ml) of the dark cooking broth from the beans; ½ small onion, chopped; ½ green pepper, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; 1 bay leaf; Salt to taste; 2 very ripe plantains (yellow skin with black spots); Vegetable oil sufficient for frying; 1 or 2 ripe avocados; A few drops of lemon or lime juice and a pinch of salt (optional)

Chicken thighs marinated overnight in sour orange mojo and grilled over charcoal, served with congrí, avocado, and fried ripe plantains. A Sunday classic.

CiberCubaNovember 6, 2026

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Preparation30 min
Cooking55 min
Total time13 h 25 min
Servings4 servings
DifficultyMedium

In Cuba, when the charcoal is lit in the yard, things get serious: there's family, music, and time ahead. These chicken thighs are marinated from the previous day in the usual mojo, sour orange, garlic, cumin, and oregano, and grilled slowly over the embers until the skin is toasted, with its grill marks and that smoky scent no oven can provide.

Here there is no sweet barbecue sauce or ketchup: the flavor comes from the marinade and is finished by the charcoal. On the side, what cannot be missing in a truly criollo dish: dark congrí of black beans, fresh avocado, and fried ripe plantains, sweet and caramelized.

It is a perfect dish for a family Sunday or a summer afternoon. All it asks is to get organized: the chicken is left marinating in the fridge the night before, and the next day everything comes together in less than an hour.

Method

The previous day: mojo and marinating

In a bowl, mix the sour orange juice with the crushed garlic, sliced onion, oil, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. That is your mojo.
Before it touches the chicken, set aside about 4 tablespoons of clean mojo in a covered jar and store it in the fridge. You will use it for basting on the grill and for serving.
Place the thighs in a container with a lid or in a food-grade bag, cover them with the rest of the mojo and massage well so they are well impregnated. Refrigerate for 12 to 18 hours, ideally from one day to the next, always in the fridge and never at room temperature.
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Grilling over charcoal

The next day, light the charcoal and wait until it forms embers covered with light ash, without high flames. Organize two zones: one of indirect or gentle heat for cooking and another of direct heat for browning.
Remove the thighs from the mojo and drain them a little, removing large pieces of garlic and onion so they do not burn. Discard the used mojo.
Place the chicken in the indirect heat zone, preferably with the lid on, and grill for about 30-40 minutes, turning every 7-10 minutes. The actual time depends on the thickness of the pieces and the strength of the embers.
In the last 5-10 minutes, move the thighs to direct heat so the skin toasts and gets grill marks, without charring. If you like, brush them with the reserved clean mojo.
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Check with a thermometer that the thickest part of the thigh, without touching the bone, reaches at least 74 °C. If not, return it for a few minutes to indirect heat. Remove and let rest 5 minutes.

The congrí

While the chicken grills, heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot and sauté the onion, pepper, and garlic over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until soft.
Add the cumin and bay leaf, incorporate the black beans and their dark broth, and bring to a boil. Taste and adjust salt: the broth should be flavorful.
Add the washed rice, stir once only, cover and cook over low heat for about 18-22 minutes, without stirring, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
Turn off, let rest covered for 5 minutes, remove the bay leaf and fluff the grains with a fork.
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Sides and plating

Peel the ripe plantains and cut them into diagonal slices 1.5-2 cm thick.
Fry the slices in hot oil over medium heat, 2-3 minutes per side, until golden, caramelized, and tender. Do not let the oil get too hot or they will burn on the outside. Drain on absorbent paper.
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Just before serving, cut the avocado into wedges or slices and, if you like, add a few drops of lemon and a pinch of salt.
Serve 2-3 thighs per plate, a good portion of congrí, some fried ripe plantains, and avocado wedges. Accompany, if you wish, with the reserved clean mojo, well chilled.
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Tips and variations

Safety first. The chicken is always marinated in the fridge, never at room temperature. Discard the mojo that has been in contact with raw chicken; for basting and serving, use only the clean mojo you set aside before marinating, always kept in the fridge.

The thermometer is your friend. The chicken is ready when the thickest part of the thigh, without touching the bone, reaches 74 °C. The color of the meat or juices does not guarantee it is sufficiently cooked: check with a kitchen thermometer.

If you cannot find sour orange, mix 120 ml of sweet orange juice with 60 ml of lemon or lime juice.

Canned beans for the congrí. Rinse them well and, since you will not have cooking broth, use broth or water slightly darkened with a few spoonfuls of mashed beans. Never use raw beans directly in the rice. If you like a more complete congrí, we have our black bean rice recipe on the website.

The ripe plantains, the blacker the skin, the sweeter and better they caramelize. Fry them over medium heat: if the oil is too hot, they will burn on the outside and remain hard inside.

Storage. Store the cooked chicken and congrí in shallow containers, refrigerate them as soon as possible and always within 2 hours after preparation. Consume within 3-4 days; reheat the chicken and rice well. The plantains and avocado are best freshly made.