Jerk Chicken

Another chicken recipe with chili and pineapple

In an old file I have another chicken recipe using pineapple, chili and spice but this recipe has a distinctly Jamaican flavor. It dates to my catering days, when I was trying recipes that sounded good for expanding the repertoire. I was unconcerned about attribution back then, just building a digital file of new things to try.

Using thighs in the recipe, you avoid the dry, over-cooked breast meat you often get with Caribbean jerk. For even more flavor, the thighs can be cooked on a charcoal grill over medium heat, made easier with a grill pan. The flavors go great with sweet potato fries or grilled corn, coleslaw, beans or rice pilaf. Store bought vinegar chips are good too. Best cocktail while the chicken is cooking? Dark and Stormy.

Ingredients

1 Tbl lemon juice plus extra lemon wedges for serving

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

6 scallions, trimmed and chopped

3 serrano chilis with or without seeds, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons safflower or canola oil

2 tablespoons rum, preferably dark or amber

1 tablespoon thyme leaves

1 tablespoon brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

¼ tsp cinnamon

3 lbs. chicken thighs, rinsed and patted very dry

1 ripe pineapple, cored and sliced

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 °

In a blender, combine lemon juice, salt, scallions, garlic, oil, rum, thyme, brown sugar, chili pepper and spices. Blend until the mixture forms a paste.
Rub chili paste all over chicken pieces. If you have time, let them marinate for up to 1 hour at room temperature, or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
Put chicken in a large roasting pan. Scatter pineapple around in a single layer. Put water in the bottom of the pan to come up about a half inch to prevent scorching.
Roast the thighs to 175°, or when the juices run clear when the thigh is pricked with a fork near the bone, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let rest tented with foil for 10 or 15 minutes.
Optional: Before the chicken has finished cooking, finish it by turning on the broiler until chicken skin is crisp and dark brown all over and the pineapple is singed in places. Check that the internal temperature has reached 175°F.
It is also delicious to charcoal grill boneless skinless thighs, putting the meat in a grill basket for easy turning. Keep brushing with marinade. With boneless meat a temperature of 165° works fine.
When cooked in the oven, serve chicken and pineapple coated with pan drippings and additional lemon wedges.

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