Jerk Chicken with Rice & Peas
Serves 6
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Jerk Chicken
12 chicken thighs (boneless)
1½tbsp ground allspice
1tsp black pepper
½tsp ground cinnamon
1tbsp fresh thyme leaves (½tsp dried thyme)
1 bunch of spring onions (sliced)
3-4 scotch bonnets (deseeded and sliced)
3 garlic cloves (sliced)
A thumb of ginger (peeled and sliced)
1½tbsp dark brown sugar
1tbsp soy sauce
1tbsp vegetable oil
2 limes (juiced)
Rice & Peas
300g basmati rice
1 large bunch of spring onions (finely sliced)
3 fresh thyme sprigs
3 garlic cloves
1½tsp ground allspice
600g coconut milk (1½ cans)
2x 410g kidney beans (drained)
1tsp sea salt
Salad
2 cos lettuce (large)
2 avocados
250g mango
1 cucumber (peeled & deseeded)
2 roasted red peppers (jar)
2tbsp olive oil
1tbsp lime juice
Sea salt & black pepper
First make the jerk marinade, in a food processor or blender, blend together all of the marinade ingredients and add to a bowl with the chicken thighs. Depending on how hot you like it scale up or down the scotch bonnets! Mix well, cover and leave in the fridge for at least an hour, overnight is best.
To cook the chicken thighs, I would recommend barbecuing for 20-25 minutes on a high heat or cook in the oven for 40 minutes at 200°C/180°C Fan/Gas 5 in a roasting tin with a halved lime, until tender and cooked through.
While you are cooking the chicken, prepare the Rice & Peas. First rinse the basmati rice in cold water and drain. Then in a large saucepan, over a medium heat, add some olive or vegetable oil and quickly fry the spring onions, thyme sprigs, garlic and ground allspice, after the spring onions have softened slightly (2 mins), add the drained rice, coconut milk and season.
Turn up the heat and add 450ml cold water, once the rice begins to boil, turn it down to a medium heat, cover and cook for 10 mins. Finally, mix in the kidney beans and cover with a lid, off the heat, for 5 mins until all the liquid is absorbed.
Meanwhile finely chop the lettuce, avocados, mango, cucumber and peppers (I use Peppadew jarred peppers - drained), add to a salad bowl, then add the olive oil, lime juice and season.
To serve, I would spread the rice on a large serving plate and place the chicken on top, squeeze over the cooked lime and serve with the salad, best served outdoors on a hot summer’s evening!
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