Tonights Dinner Decided From
Tonight I was craving something spicy, so I decided to make this Jamaican Jerk Chicken Recipe from Chew out Load. The original author is Amy Dong. This is just one of many tasty lookin recipes featured on her website. I have made this several times and every time I make it I end up wishing I had made more. Although probably not the most traditional jerk recipe, my taste buds and others didn’t seem to mind. If you don’t mind a little Caribbean heat then this recipe is sure to be a dinner favorite.
Chicken leg or thigh recipes generally aren’t in our usual dinner rotations so when I tell you I make this on repeat then you know it is going to be good. To make this I followed the recipe nearly as written. The original calls for 2 tbsp of brown sugar, but I thought this would be too sweet so I only added one. I also used slightly less 1/4 tsp of cinnamon. To really give add some more flavor and depth, you could add diced habanero (or scotch bonnet) to the marinade.
Other than these small deviation, my other advice would be two double the spice mixture. The original recipe says the called ingredients are enough for about 10 chicken legs. For my family I usually make about 6 chicken legs and this spice mixture is barely enough. I have only ever prepared this recipe in the oven as suggested, but I think these would be great on the grill or even in a smoker.
Not only is this recipe delicious it tends to be light on the wallet. I usually buy bulk chicken legs when they are on sale, and then vacuum seal a few legs at at time and throw them in a freezer for quick last minute meals. And this is a perfect last minute meal ready to cook with spices you probably already have ready to go. This recipe just takes a few minutes to make the rub and throw it in the oven.
Lastly, to serve this I made some red beans and rice. I didn’t have much time so I used a box of Zatarain’s. I also fried a plantain to keep with the Caribbean theme. Chew out Loud also has a recipe that looks amazing. In the end, serve it with something you like. And if you prefer white meat for your chicken, I think this recipe would still be amazing with chicken breasts or even a whole spatchcock chicken. Whichever way you decide to make this recipe this is an ideal dinner to change up your dinner routine and some Caribbean heat.
