When I was younger, I used to have this dish quite often. My best friends mum was Jamaican and she would make this whenever I came over for dinner. It was the most delicious food ever. Of course the traditional recipe uses quite a bit of oil for the chicken and a full tin of coconut milk (the non light stuff) for the rice. So I have adapted it slightly to make it slimming world friendly, but it is still yummy.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken with Rice and Peas

Slimming Eats Recipe

Serves 4 

Extra Easy – 3.5 syns per serving

For the Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Ingredients

1kg of chicken portions, thigh and breast (you can use a whole chicken cut up into pieces if you prefer) (skin and fat removed)

4 sliced scotch bonnet peppers, chopped (jalapenos may be used if scotch bonnet peppers are unavailable)

2 Tbsp. thyme

2 Tbsp. ground allspice

6 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp of freshly grated ginger

2 onions, finely chopped

2 Tbsp. sweetener

salt and black pepper

1 tsp of cinnamon

1 tsp of nutmeg

1/2 cup soy sauce

Juice of one lime

Juice of one orange (1 syn)

3/4 cup of water

1/2 cup white vinegar

Method

Chop the onions, garlic and peppers.

Add the onions, garlic and peppers to a blender, along with all other ingredients apart from the chicken.

Blend to make the marinade

Rub some of the marinade into the chicken and save some for basting when cooking.

Leave the chicken in the fridge to marinade overnight.

Preheat he oven to 200c or 400f

Place the chicken in a roasting dish and bake for approx 35-40 mins, until chicken is cooked through.

Baste regularly with some of the remaining marinade while cooking

If you prefer the chicken can be cooked on a grill pan/george foreman (brush the chicken a few times with the marinade, while grilling)

For the Rice and Peas

Serves 4-5 people (just half ingredients if cooking for less)
8 syns for entire recipe (will be 4 syns for entire recipe, if halfing recipe)

Ingredients

2 cups of rice

1 can of tinned kidney beans

5 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)

400ml of light coconut milk (12.5 syns)

560ml of water

salt and black pepper

2 sprigs of fresh thyme (2 teaspoons of dried thyme may be used as a substitute)

Method

Crush the garlic and add to 560ml of boiling water in a saucepan over a medium high heat.

Add the kidney beans, coconut milk, rice, salt, black pepper and thyme to the mix.

Bring to a boil, cover and simmer over a low heat for approx 30-40mins (try not to stir in between, let the steam cook the rice, but keep an eye on it, once liquid is almost absorbed, remove from heat, but leave lid on, as the steam will continue to cook the rice.

Serve the Jamaican Jerk Chicken with the Rice and Peas and a mixed salad of lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes.

Filed under: 2+ syns, chicken, Extra Easy, main course, rice