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Cook the Book: Jerk Chicken

Posted by Adam Kuban, January 16, 2008 at 3:15 PM

Yesterday's Cook the Book recipe caused a minor stir because I chose a dish that was, admittedly, not so quick and easy and that used fresh lo mein noodles, which I even have a difficult time sourcing. I'm sorry about that—I should have been a little more thoughtful in my selection. Today's, for Jerk Chicken should do you right, though.

It's from The Culinary Institute of America's Techniques of Healthy Cooking.

Jerk Chicken

- makes 10 servings -

Adapted from Techniques for Healthy Cooking, from the Culinary Institute of America. If it's too cold to grill the chicken outdoors or you don't have a grill pan, try using the broiler where this recipe calls for grilling. Serve with Black Bean Sauce, Green Papaya Salsa, and plantain chips.

Ingredients

For the jerk seasoning:
1 ounce (30 grams) allspice berries, toasted
1 cinnamon stick, broken into 1/2-inch (1-centimeter) pieces
3/4 teaspoon (3.75 mL) grated nutmeg
4 scallions, minced
3 ounces (85 grams) minced onion
1 Scotch Bonnet chile, minced
2 teaspoons (10 mL) kosher salt
1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground black pepper
1 tablespoon (15 mL) dark rum

2 1/4 pounds (1 kilogram) boneless skinless chicken breast

Procedure

1. Make the jerk seasoning: Grind the toasted allspice berries, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a powder in a spice mill. Transfer the powder to a food processor and add the scallions, onion, chile, salt, pepper, and rum. Process to form a thick paste.

2. Rub the jerk seasoning over the chicken; grill* for 3 minutes on each side. Continue cooking the breasts on a rack in a roasting pan in a 375°F (190°C) oven until they reach internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), about 15 minutes.

*If it's too cold to grill where you live, try using a grill pan—or just use the broiler to do the initial sear on the chicken.

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