Jerk Chicken with Rice & Peas 🏝

We said we would feature more recipes from the Black community and so please welcome our version of the classic jerk chicken! I've asked my friends for a recipe but most of the time they say they just eye-ball it to taste and my OCD-self just couldn't get with it. So I've measured this for y'all so you can make your own at home too 🤗 This has to marinate for at least 8 hours so be prepared! It's quite spicy but you can find out below how to make this less spicy of course. It's one of my fav dishes ever so we hope you enjoy it!

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Level 1

Wow factor: ⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ingredients

• For the jerk chicken:

• 5 chicken legs

• 4tbsp jerk seasoning

• 2tbsp all-purpose seasoning

For the marinade:

• 1 medium brown onion, roughly chopped

• 4 garlic cloves

• 3 spring onions, roughly chopped

• 1tbsp thyme leaves / 1/2tsp dried thyme

• 1tbsp ground allspice

• 1 scotch bonnet chili, top stem bit chopped off (you can add more if you'd like this to be spicier)

• 1 bird's eye chili, top stem bit chopped off (remove seeds if you want it to be less spicy)

• 1 thumb-sized ginger, peeled

• 1 lime, juiced

• 3.5tbsp brown sugar

• 1tsp salt

For the rice & peas:

• 200gr brown rice or any type of rice you have

• 400gr coconut milk

• 300ml water

• 2 spring onions, sliced

• 2 big thyme sprigs

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1tsp ground allspice

• 410gr kidney beans, drained

Instructions

1. First up is the dry rub. Stab and slash your chicken legs a few times. Take a big mixing bowl and tip your chicken legs in. Then rub the jerk and all-purpose all over the chicken legs. Set aside.

2. In a food processor, add all the ingredients for the marinade in and process until it forms into a smooth-ish paste. Not too smooth, not too rough either. I like mine as smooth as hummus. It should puree nicely. Keep tapping and scraping down the sides if you are struggling to turn this into a paste. It will happen, don't give up or add water!

3. Taste the jerk paste. If it's not spicy enough, add more chilies. If it's too spicy, add some more sugar in. Once it tastes perfect to you, it's ready.

4. Add all the jerk paste into the big mixing bowl and ensure the paste is covering the legs nicely. Cover with a cling film and leave it in the fridge for at least 8 hours, but overnight is preferred.

5. When you are ready to cook the chicken, you can either do this on a BBQ or in the oven. We chose the oven option. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius and move your chicken legs to a roasting tin. Ensure the skin side is up. Cover the top of the tin with some aluminum foil. Put it in the oven and cook for 45 mins. When the chicken has been cooking for 30 minutes, take the tin out, remove foil, and pop it back in the oven for another 15 minutes so the paste can caramelise. Please ensure your chicken is cooked before serving.

6. Whilst your chicken is cooking, we can make the rice. Rinse the rice well and then tip it into a large saucepan. Add coconut milk, spring onions, thyme sprigs, garlic, and allspice. Add the water and set heat to high. Once the mixture bubbles, turn down the heat and add the kidney beans. Mix well.

7. If the rice is fluffy then it is ready. Serve your jerk chicken with the rice, finely chopped spring onions and a lime wedge. Enjoy!!

The hottest tip from my friend Shaq is to add a whole scotch bonnet in the rice & peas too to add even more flavour! If you don't want it to be TOO spicy just make sure it doesn't break open.

Let us know if you try this out and tag us on Instagram #SezPK 🌞