Unlike many food items, chicken is fairly easy to find in Cuba — and I was surprised to discover that most of the chicken consumed on the island is actually from the United States, despite the embargo. (Several loopholes in the embargo allow American food and medicine to enter the country.) This is a Cuban favorite and one of our family’s favorite recipes; the kids love the drumsticks, and my daughter loves the chicken skin, just like her momma! You can use the leftovers for next-day pasta or even a pizza topping -- though it's so good that you're unlikely to have any leftover.
4 chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin on
Juice of 1 medium lime
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
Optional (non-authentic, but tasty) additions: 1/4 tsp cayenne, dash of lemon pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Make several deep, well-spaced slits in the chicken. With your fingers, coat the inside and outside of chicken with the seasonings. Allow to marinate in the fridge for 3-4 hours or overnight. Bake for 30-45 minutes in the oven until the juices run clear and the skin is crisp.
The chicken goes well with rice & beans (recipe to follow next week) or mashed potatoes.