Mojo Chicken with Fried Yuca and Pineapple
This mojo sauce is easy, flavorful, and the perfect addition to many meats and vegetables. Keep it in your rotation to add an extra zing to your weeknight meals. Feel free to get creative with vegetable substitutions in this recipe. Any starchy root will taste sublime!
Servings Prep Time
4 to 6as a main 30Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
45Minutes 30 Minutes– 8 Hours
Servings Prep Time
4 to 6as a main 30Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
45Minutes 30 Minutes– 8 Hours
Ingredients
Mojo Chicken:
  • 1 ½lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighscut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 orangejuiced
  • 5 large limesjuiced (1/4 cup)
  • ½cup olive oil
  • 9 garlic clovesminced
  • 1 jalapenodeseeded and minced
  • 1cup minced cilantroleaves and tender stems
  • 1tbsp dried oregano
  • 2tsp ground cumin
  • 1tsp chili powder
  • 2tsp salt
Vegetables:
  • 1 ½cups pineapplediced
  • 1 yellow onionquartered and layers separated
  • 1cup yucapeeled and diced
  • 2tsp ground cumin
  • 1tbsp dried oregano
  • 1tbsp olive oil
Garnish:
  • 15 cilantro stemslightly torn
  • 4 scallionscut into 2-inch pieces
  • Salt to taste
Instructions
  1. Prepare the mojo sauce. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, minced jalapeno, minced cilantro, dried oregano, ground cumin, chili powder, and salt. Ingredients should be finely chopped. Refrigerate half of the sauce for later and use the remaining sauce in the mixing bowl as marinade for the chicken. Note, the sauce will oxidize so be sure to refrigerate quickly.
  2. In the same medium mixing bowl, coat 2-inch chicken pieces with the mojo marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
  3. 3. While the chicken is marinating, prepare the vegetables. Locate two large mixing bowls, one for seasoning raw vegetables, and one for combining all final cooked ingredients. In one bowl, toss the diced pineapple with onion slices, ground cumin, dried oregano, and olive oil. Broil at 400°F for 10 Minutes, or until the onion edges are charred and the pineapple is golden. Do not shake the basket while cooking. Set aside all cooked pineapple and onion in the second mixing bowl.
  4. In the first mixing bowl, toss diced yuca with 1 tsp salt and any lingering pineapple and onion juices. Air Fry at 385°F for 14-16 Minutes, or until golden brown and lightly charred. Set aside in the same mixing bowl as the cooked pineapple and onion.
  5. Finally, strain the chicken from the marinade and Air Fry in batches at 400°F for 9-10 Minutes, until cooked and lightly charred. Do not shake the basket while cooking. Add all cooked chicken and juices from the air fryer basket to the bowl with the cooked pineapple, onion, and yuca.
  6. Add chopped scallions and torn cilantro stems to the bowl with the cooked chicken, pineapple, onion, and yuca. Toss all ingredients with the leftover refrigerated mojo sauce. Season with salt to taste and serve warm.