Jerk Chicken with Jamaican Red Beans and Rice

Jerk Chicken with Jamaican Red Beans and Rice

This dish was inspired by this recipe at Iowa Girl Eats and modified with a few changes to suit our taste. This is Jeremy's favorite dinner. It's definitely a good twist on a plain old chicken and rice dinner.

Jerk Chicken

-1 Tablespoon allspice
-1 Tablespoon dried thyme
-1 Tablespoon sugar
-1 1/2 teaspoons ground sage
-3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
-3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-3/4 cup white vinegar
-1/2 cup orange juice
-1/4 cup olive oil
-1/4 cup soy sauce
-Juice of 1 lime
-5 garlic cloves, minced
-4 chicken breasts
-2 Tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 Tablespoons water

Combine the allspice-garlic in a medium container. Whisk ingredients together well. Add chicken. Refrigerate and allow chicken to marinate for at least 1, and up to 8 hours.

When ready to cook, remove chicken from marinade. Grill or broil chicken for 5-7 minutes a side. While chicken is cooking, bring the marinade to a boil over medium heat in a small pot. Reduce heat and simmer sauce. Stir in cornstarch/ water mixture and simmer, stirring constantly until thickened. Continue to simmer until chicken is done (to kill any bacteria from the meat you need to have this sauce simmering or boiling for at least 10 minutes). When chicken is no longer pink in the middle, remove to a plate, and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with the thickened sauce.

Jamaican Red Beans and Rice

-1 Tablespoon olive oil
-4 garlic cloves, minced
-4 green onions, chopped
-1 teaspoon dried thyme
-2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
-1 can coconut milk
-1 cup chicken broth
-2 cups water
-2 cups brown rice
-1 teaspoon salt

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add garlic, green onion, and thyme, sauté for 1 minute. Add beans, coconut milk, chicken broth and water to the pan, then stir and bring to a boil. Add in rice and salt, cover and reduce heat to low, simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until all the liquid as been absorbed, and the rice is tender (adding additional water if needed until rice reaches desired tenderness).