Grilled Jerk Chicken with Fluffy Coconut Rice and Beans
Serves 4-5
Adapted from Cooking Classy and Recipetin Eats
For Jerk Chicken:
3 pounds bone-in, skin on chicken thighs (about 5-6 pieces)
6 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
4-5 garlic cloves
2 habanero peppers (or scotch bonnet), stem removed
2 inch piece ginger, peeled
⅓ cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
¼ cup soy sauce
1½ tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (1-2 sprigs)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
For Coconut Rice and Beans:
2 cups basmati, Jasmin, or long grain white rice
14 ounce can full-fat coconut milk
½ cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
14 ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
¼ cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
For Garnish:
Mango, diced
Cilantro, coarsely choped
For Jerk Chicken:
Place the chicken pieces in a large mixing bowl or resealable bag.
Add the remaining marinade ingredients to a food processor. Chop and hold the button for 5-10 seconds, until it becomes somewhat coarse, but not purified (see picture on right). Reserve ⅓-½ of the marinade to use as a sauce for serving.
Pour the remaining marinade over the chicken. Fully coat the chicken and submerge it, as much as possible, in the marinade. Let the chicken marinade in the refrigerator for 3 hour and up to 24 hours. Flip the chicken and mix up the marinade occasionally.
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and arrange the pieces on the baking sheet leaving space between them. Feel free to add a spoonful of the marinade overtop each chicken thigh.. Bake until cooked through (165° F, at its thickest part), about 45 - 50 minutes.
Once the chicken goes in the oven, start making the Coconut Rice. The two dishes should be done around the same time!
Broil for an additional 5-10 minutes, for better browning, but keep an eye on the chicken the last few minutes so as not to burn the chicken.
For Coconut Rice and Beans:
Rinse the rice in water until the water runs pretty clear. Drain the rice, then soak in water for 15 minutes, before draining again.
Add the rice, coconut milk, water, sugar, and salt to a pot over medium high heat. Give the mixture a few good stirs to help mixing everything up.
Bring it to a simmer so the entire surface of the liquid is rippling. Give it one final stir, put the lid on, and immediately turn the heat down to low.
Cook for 14 minutes.
Remove from heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
Fluff the rice with a spatula. Then fold in the kidney beans and cilantro, so they’re evenly dispersed.
To serve, add a good helping of coconut rice to each plate. Garnish with a few small spoonful’s of the reserved jerk marinade, plus cilantro and mangos. If there are still drippings in the pan you cooked the chicken on, a few spoonful’s of that overtop the rice is also a great addition! And, finally, add a piece of Jerk Chicken.
Enjoy!