Jerk chicken with mango salsa and rice and peas

Name: Jerk chicken with mango salsa and rice and peas
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 6 scallions green onions, roughly chopped; 1 Scotch bonnet or habanero red chili pepper, seeded for less heat (wear gloves); 4 cloves garlic; 2 tsp ginger, grated; 1 tbsp leaves fresh thyme; 2 tsp ground allspice; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; a pinch nutmeg, freshly grated; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp salt; 2 tbsp lime juice; 1 tbsp tamari, gluten-free; 1 tsp canola oil; 1 3/4 lb chicken breast, 3 large breasts, halved horizontally into thinner fillets; 1/4 cup jasmine rice, long-grain, rinsed; 1/2 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed; 1/4 cup light coconut milk; 3 tbsp water; 2 sprigs fresh thyme; 1 scallion green onion, whole, lightly crushed; a pinch ground allspice; 1/3 tsp salt; 1 medium mango, diced; 1 large cucumber, diced; 1 small red bell pepper, diced; 1/4 medium red onion, finely diced; 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped; 4 tsp lime juice; 6 cups cabbage, finely shredded; 1 large carrot, grated

60 min · 53 g protein · 471 cals / serving

Chicken soaked in a fiery green jerk paste of scallions, hot chili, allspice, thyme, garlic and lime, then grilled until the edges blacken and the smell fills the house. Cooling it down: a juicy mango, cucumber and red pepper salsa, a crunchy lime slaw, and a scoop of coconut rice and peas with kidney beans and thyme. Smoky, hot, sweet and fresh on one plate.

Jerk chicken with mango salsa and rice and peas

60 min · 53 g protein · 471 cals / serving

Servings4

Ingredients

Jerk paste

6 scallions green onions, roughly chopped
1 Scotch bonnet or habanero red chili pepper, seeded for less heat (wear gloves)
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp ginger, grated
1 tbsp leaves fresh thyme
2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
a pinch nutmeg, freshly grated
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp tamari, gluten-free
1 tsp canola oil

Chicken

1 3/4 lb chicken breast, 3 large breasts, halved horizontally into thinner fillets

Rice and peas

1/4 cup jasmine rice, long-grain, rinsed
1/2 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup light coconut milk
3 tbsp water
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 scallion green onion, whole, lightly crushed
a pinch ground allspice
1/3 tsp salt

Mango salsa

1 medium mango, diced
1 large cucumber, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1/4 medium red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
4 tsp lime juice

Lime slaw

6 cups cabbage, finely shredded
1 large carrot, grated
4 tsp lime juice
a pinch salt

Steps

Blend everything for the jerk paste in a blender or small food processor into a rough, bright green paste.
Put the chicken in a bowl or bag, rub it all over with the paste and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to a day: the longer, the deeper the flavour.
For the rice and peas, put the rice, kidney beans, coconut milk, water, thyme, whole scallion, allspice and salt in a small pot. Bring to a boil, stir once, cover tightly and cook on the lowest heat for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave it covered for 5 minutes, then pull out the thyme stalks and scallion and fluff with a fork.
Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Shake the excess paste off the chicken and grill it 5–7 minutes per side, until charred in patches and 165°F in the thickest piece. Rest 5 minutes, then slice.
While the chicken cooks, toss the mango, cucumber, pepper, onion and cilantro with the lime juice and a pinch of salt for the salsa. Toss the cabbage and carrot with the remaining lime juice and salt for the slaw.
Serve the sliced chicken with a scoop of rice and peas, the slaw and a big spoonful of mango salsa over the top.

Good to know

How hot is it?

A whole Scotch bonnet with its seeds is properly hot, the Jamaican way. Seeded, it is a warm medium; for mild, use half a seeded chili or a jalapeño. The mango salsa takes the edge off either way.

Is it gluten-free and dairy-free?

Yes, as written: tamari instead of soy sauce, coconut milk in the rice, nothing else that could hide gluten or dairy. Check that your tamari says gluten-free; most do.

Oven instead of grill?

Roast on a lined tray at 425°F for 18–22 minutes, then 2–3 minutes under the broiler to char the edges. It still needs to read 165°F.

Why is it called rice and peas?

In Jamaica the kidney beans are called peas. Traditionally the rice is cooked in a whole can of coconut milk; a little light coconut milk keeps the flavour with far less richness.

Thighs instead of breast?

Boneless, skinless thighs are the classic cut and stay juicier on the grill; they score about 67 instead of 75. Grill them 6–8 minutes per side, to the same 165°F.

Alternative

74another Jamaican Sunday plateJamaican brown stew chicken

Per

Calories: 83
Protein: (47%); 9 g
Fat: (18%); 2 g
Carbohydrates: (36%); 8 g
of which sugar: 3 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sodium: 226 mg

More meals

Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How

As written, 1885 kcal goes into the pot and 2522 g of ingredients comes out as about 2270 g of food: 83 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.

Jerk chicken with mango salsa and rice and peas

Jerk chicken with mango salsa and rice and peas