Jerk chicken with rice & peas
The Jamaican marinade has many versions, we can never get it as good as the traditional methods and recipes but at least we can try.Ingredients
For the marinade
For the rice & peas
01.
To make the jerk marinade, combine all the ingredients in a food processor along with 1 tsp salt, and blend to a purée. Dont add water as you want a thick paste. Just keep stopping it and mixing it around
02.
Taste the jerk mixture for seasoning - it should taste pretty salty, but not unpleasantly, puckering salty. You can now throw in more chillies if it's not spicy enough for you. If it tastes too salty and sour, try adding in a bit more brown sugar until the mixture tastes well balanced.
03.
Make a few slashes in the chicken thighs and pour the marinade over the meat, rubbing it into all the crevices. Cover and leave to marinate overnight in the fridge or for a few hours if you need them today.
04.
Add the chicken to a preheated smokey barbecue, and cook your chicken over slow, indirect heat for 30 mins.
05.
Or to cook in the oven, heat to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the chicken pieces in a roasting tin with the halved lime and cook for 45 mins until tender and cooked through.
06.
Meanwhile, prepare the rice & peas. Rinse the basmati rice in plenty of cold water, then tip it into a large saucepan. Add the coconut milk, spring onions, thyme sprigs, garlic and ground allspice.
07.
Season with salt, add 300ml cold water and set over a high heat. Once the rice begins to boil, turn it down to a medium heat, cover and cook for 10 mins. Add the kidney beans to the rice, then cover with a lid. Leave off the heat for 5 mins until all the liquid is absorbed.
08.
Squeeze the roasted lime over the chicken and serve with the rice & peas, and some hot sauce if you like it really spicy.
