Jerk Chicken

 

If you are bored of cheese and cream, it’s time to experiment with spices and enjoy the taste flavors of Caribbean with jerk chicken. You don’t need to be a hardcore carnivore to fall in love with the juicy chicken chunks marinated in aromatic spices, especially allspice.

Indeed it’s hard to ignore the mélange of hot, spicy, tangy and sweet flavors. And if you are brave enough to handle a blazing tongue, not to de seed the jalapenos for that extra punch! Otherwise, substitute jalapenos with bell peppers and keep the flavors mild for the weak-hearted. However, make a point to splash in a bout of red wine or apple cider to ensure that the flavors beautifully complement each other and come out beautifully.

Traditionally, jerk chicken is grilled on the charcoal grill which gives a hint of smokiness that compliments the piquancy of the dish. No wonder, it has always been Drilldoggy’s first choice for this backyard BBQ parties. But you really don’t need a BBQ party when jerk chicken can be pulled off with equal finesse in an oven! So cook jerk chicken for next dinner and set the tongues ablaze!

Ingredients:

Serves:

  • 3 lb chicken, skin on
  • 1 shallot, coarsely chopped
  • 4 green onions, chopped
  • ½’’ fresh ginger root, sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 jalapenos, sliced
  • 2 limes, juiced
  • 1 tsp honey
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp allspice
  • 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp dried thyme
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp sea salt

Method:

  • To make the marinade, add the shallots, ginger, garlic, green onion, jalapenos, spices, dried thyme and a dash of sea salt into the blender.
  • Pour in the oil, lime juice, honey as well as vinegar and pulse them into a smooth puree.
  • Rub it all over the chicken pieces to coat well; make sure you are wearing gloves all this time.
  • Leave in the fridge overnight to marinate and bring it to room temperature about half an hour prior to cooking.
  • Warm up your oven t0o 375 degrees F in the meantime.
  • Lay out the chicken pieces onto a baking dish and roast in the hot oven for 45 minutes, while flipping it over halfway through cooking and basting with the marinade at intervals.
  • Switch the oven to broil mode and broil each side of the chicken for 3 minutes or until the chicken chunks brown nicely.
  • Set aside for 5 minutes to cool.
  • Serve warm.