Jamaican Jerk Chicken- This Chicken is SO flavorful. Combining a few pantry staple ingredients and spices ( like crushed red pepper, onion powder, thyme, allspice, brown sugar and cinnamon) creates a super flavorful rub for the chicken. Can be cooked on the BBQ or on a grill pan. Top with fresh pineapple slaw for a super easy weeknight dinner. ( 20 mins.)
{Cue the steel drums} ….”Aruba, Jamaica, ooo I want to take ya...Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama, Key Largo, Montego, baby why don't we go…..” that’s how it all started.
You see, I was making this Jamaican Jerk chicken., grilling up this slightly spicy and cinnamon goodness, and that song just crept into my head. You know that one ( "Aruba, Jamaica...ooo I want to take ya..") that old school classic by the Beach Boys called Kokomo?
I guess because of the “Jamaica” connection, I’m not really sure, but, I just couldn’t get it out of my brain.!That loop, just kept repeating! (‘Aruba, Jamaica…ooo I want to take ya..." ahhh!)
Somewhere I read that if a song gets stuck in your head you should listen to the whole song, all the way through. I don’t know if there is any scientific validity to this, but hey…I’m game. ("Aruba, Jamaica...ooo I want to take ya"...driving me crazy!)
I cue up Pandora radio. They actually have a station called Kokomo? O.K.? But here's the thing, it doesn’t play the song Kokomo first though. It plays Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville . Uh oh…I like that song! before I know it, I’m having a full-blown dance party for one in my little kitchen, while I’m cooking this chicken. Seriously! The Kokomo station was a whole collection of “happy” songs that make you want to move your feet.
So while the chicken was grilling, I was dancing. and dancing...and dancing.
I think this recipe is now going to affectionately be called "Kokomo chicken" for me. Because I think random dance parties are necessary! I highly recommend cooking and dancing to "happy" vacation type music while whipping up this recipe. I mean just look at it, all those bright colors. Grilled chicken with Jamaican Jerk spices + fresh sweet pineapple slaw, it's like being on vacation somewhere warm and sunny. "Aruba, Jamaica...ooo I want to take ya..."
Jerk Chicken + Pineapple Slaw
Ingredients
- 3 heads baby bok choy trimmed and thinly sliced
- 2 cups shredded red cabbage
- ½ of a fresh pineapple peeled, cored, and chopped
- 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
- 4 tsp. packed brown sugar divided
- 2 tsp. all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. Jamaican jerk seasoning *
- 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (1 to 1 ¼ lbs. total)
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine bok choy, cabbage, and pineapple. In a small bowl or measuring cup combine vinegar and 2 tsp. brown sugar. Drizzle over bok choy mixture and mix to coat. Set aside.
- In a large plastic bag combine 2 tsp. brown sugar, flour and jerk seasoning. Shake to mix ingredients. Add chicken and shake to coat chicken.
- Using a paper towel rub a thin layer of oil on grill pan. Heat pan over medium heat. Add chicken and grill for 8-12 min. until chicken is cooked through. Flipping halfway through.
- Plate chicken and serve with pineapple slaw.
*Make your own jerk seasoning by combining 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon each sugar, crushed red pepper, and crushed dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon each salt, ground allspice, and ground cinnamon.
** recipe from Better Homes and Gardens ( Cook Healthy - Jerk Chicken + Pineapple Slaw pg. 92)
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