What is a mojo sauce you ask? Well, I can tell you what it’s not. It doesn’t involve a dose of Austin Power’s charm or a spoon full of self-esteem or even a cup of charisma, although I’m wondering as I type this out if I’m on to something.
PATENT PENDING! I said it first.
What a mojo (pronounced Moe-hoe) sauce is though is a flavorful combination of garlic, citrus and chiles, stemming from Cuba and Latin America. It can be made a plethora of ways, and my refrigerator decided that tonight my version was orange, jalapeno and cumin.
….patent pending.
Chicken Cutlets and Black Beans with Orange-Jalapeno Mojo Sauce:
What it took for 2:
* 2 chicken breasts, pounded out thinly
* 6ish Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
* 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
* ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 2 oranges)
* juice from 1 lime
* 1 tsp. ground cumin, divided
* ½ jalapeno, minced (seeds removed if you can’t take the heat)
* 1 small yellow onion, chopped
* 1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
* 2 Tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped
* coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Heat 2 Tbs. oil in a medium sized skillet over medium-high. Add the garlic slices and let sizzle for about 2 minutes, until golden. Add the orange juice, lime juice, a pinch of cumin and the jalapeno. Simmer for about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, remove from skillet and set aside.
Back in the skillet, heat another 2 Tbs. oil over medium-high. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook for about 4 minutes, until the onion has softened. Add the beans and the remaining cumin and cook for about 3 minutes. Toss in the cilantro and a pinch of salt and pepper. Remove beans from skillet and cover to keep warm.
Your skillet is getting a workout here! Throw it back over medium-high heat with that last bit of oil. Season your chicken with salt and pepper and sear for about 3 or 4 minutes per side.
Serve chicken with black beans and a good drizzle of the mojo sauce, baby.
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