Jerk Chicken with Rice and Peas and Fried Plantains

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (Broken down into pieces; skin-on and bone-in)
• 2 tbsp whole allspice berries (Freshly ground)
• 1.5 tsp black peppercorns (Freshly ground)
• 4 cloves garlic (Roughly chopped)
• 1.5 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (Picked from 4 or 5 sprigs)
• 3 scallions (Roughly chopped)
• 6 red Scotch bonnet peppers (Habaneros may be substituted; use gloves and eye protection)
• 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 0.25 cup canola oil (For the marinade)
• kosher salt (Season generously to taste; also used in the marinade)
• 13.5 oz coconut milk (One can)
• 2.25 cup water (For the rice and peas)
• 15.5 oz red kidney beans (One can, liquid included)
• 2 cups long-grain rice (Rinsed)
• 3 cloves garlic (Smashed, for the rice)
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper (Whole, optional, for the rice)
• 2 scallions (Cut into long batons for the rice)
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs (Whole, for the rice)
• 3 green plantains (Large; peeled and cut into roughly 1-inch pieces)
• neutral frying oil (About 1/2 inch deep in a heavy-bottomed pan)
• limes (Freshly squeezed for serving)
• scallions (For garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Break down a whole chicken into skin-on, bone-in pieces, or prepare equivalent bone-in chicken pieces.

2. 2

   Grind the whole allspice berries and black peppercorns in a mortar and pestle, spice grinder, or pepper grinder until they are broken into small pieces.

3. 3

   Add the garlic, thyme leaves, roughly chopped scallions, and Scotch bonnet peppers to a food processor. Wear gloves and eye protection when handling the peppers.

4. 4

   Add the brown sugar, dark soy sauce, canola oil, and freshly ground spices. Process until the mixture forms a chunky paste.

5. 5

   Add kosher salt generously to taste, then toss the marinade with the chicken. Massage it into the meat and rub it underneath the skin as much as possible.

6. 6

   Cover the chicken and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and ideally overnight, up to 24 hours.

7. 7

   To make the rice and peas, combine the coconut milk, water, and kidney beans with their liquid in a pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer.

8. 8

   Stir in the rinsed long-grain rice, smashed garlic, whole Scotch bonnet pepper if using, scallion batons, thyme sprigs, and a couple of generous pinches of the ground allspice and black pepper mixture.

9. 9

   Bring the pot back to a simmer, cover it, reduce the heat all the way to low, and cook according to the rice manufacturer's specifications until the liquid is almost fully absorbed and the rice is tender. If the rice is not quite done, add a little more water and cook for another 5 minutes.

10. 10

    Season the rice and peas generously to taste, cover, and keep warm until serving.

11. 11

    Peel the green plantains and cut them into roughly 1-inch pieces.

12. 12

    Heat about 1/2 inch of neutral oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan until shimmering. Carefully add the plantain pieces and fry for about 1 minute per side, until golden and lightly browned on both sides.

13. 13

    Drain the plantains on paper towels. While they are still warm but handleable, smash each piece with a heavy flat object until about 1/4 inch thick; do not flatten them into pancakes.

14. 14

    Return the smashed plantains to the hot oil and fry again for about 1 minute per side, until crisp outside and soft inside. Drain on paper towels and salt immediately while warm.

15. 15

    Prepare the smoker or pellet grill with fruit wood such as apple or cherry. Remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator and place it on the grill.

16. 16

    Cook the chicken with the grill closed. Insert a meat probe into the thickest part of the breast and set an alarm for 155°F.

17. 17

    Optionally flip the chicken when it reaches 145°F to brown the skin, then continue cooking until the breasts register 155°F and the dark meat registers about 175°F.

18. 18

    Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for about 10 minutes. Leave the temperature probe in place during the rest.

19. 19

    Plate the jerk chicken with a large portion of rice and peas and several fried plantains. Finish with freshly squeezed lime juice and sliced scallions.

Notes

The transcript describes both traditional and hybrid marinades; this extraction uses the final hybrid version. Pimento wood is traditional but difficult to find in the United States, so apple or cherry fruit wood is suggested. The source does not state an exact grill temperature or a precise rice cooking time; follow the rice manufacturer's timing and use the stated internal temperatures for the chicken.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Caribbean
• smoked
• grilled
• spicy
• gluten-free
• dairy-free
• rice-and-beans