Jerk Chicken Rice & Peas

I was quite a few years ago I went to Glastonbury festival for the first time which is where I first tasted Jerk Chicken with Rice & Peas. Me being someone who loves spice it was a perfect dish for me. After trying Jerk Chicken a few times at the festival I was mean to give it a go myself when at home, I believe this recipe is best Jerk a chicken recipe you will find out there, it's beautiful.

Ingredients 

Chicken Portions - Legs / Thighs / Drumsticks / Breast (Your Preference)

Large bunch of Thyme

4 x White Onions

100g of Fresh Ginger

4 x Garlic Bulbs

100ml Dark Soy Sauce

100ml White Wine Vinegar

1 Tablespoon of Grounded Allspice

1-6 Scotch Bonnets (1 Spicy, 6 Blow you head off!)

For the Rice & Peas

200g Basmati Rice

200g Kidney Beans + The Water

Thyme

1 Chili

1 400g Can of Creamed Coconut Milk or Coconut Cream with water 

2 x Sliced Spring Onions

Method

1. Using a blender & blend the thyme, white onions, ginger, garlic, scotch bonnets, allspice, white wine vinegar & soy sauce and blend into a paste.

2. Poor the marinate over the chicken and leave it for at least 2 hours but better if left overnight. Try to save some marinate to serve with the dish.

3. After the marinade period place the chicken including the marinade on a baking try  with the chicken covered and place in the oven on 180 for 40 minutes or so. If you have the opportunity finish the chicken off on the BBQ to get that lovely taste, I buy a few disposable ones to use for these occasions.

Now its time to make the rice and peas

1. Bring a pan of water to the boil then add the rice, let the water come back to the boil and leave boiling for 7 minutes. Use a bigger pan as we are going to add more ingredients to it once the rice is done.

2. Drain the rice then add it back to the pan, add the creamed coconut  and stir together.

3. Add the thyme, spring onions, chili & kidney beans and mix together, Stir every now and again for 5 - 10 minutes.

Serve

Serve the chicken & rice and peas with a classic salad (Lettuce, Cucumber & Tomato) + a small pot of the left over marinade and some hot pepper sauce, I use Encona or  Walkerswood Jamaican Scotch bonnet sauce.

Enjoy

Beautiful Fresh Coriander Chicken

This dish is so simple and tastes like summer in your mouth, it's really fresh and really easy and perfect for a mid week meal if your pushed for time.

Ingredients

Bunch of Fresh Corriander

6 Vine Ripped Tomatoes

1 Medium Red Onion

4 Chicken Breasts

Good Glug of Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons of Garlic Paste

1 Lemon

1 Tablespoon of Balsamic Vinegar

1 Tablespoon of Smoked Paprika

1 Tablespoon of Chipottle Sauce (Optional)

Salt to Taste.

There are two methods to this meal, the first method is for a bright vagrant looking dish packed full of colour, the other method is for a quick dish but not so beautiful looking. In summary to show off or just eat. They both taste nearly the same anyway and are both gourgous.

I have more pictures to add to this but due to demand I have posted this recipe to my blog early without the pictures but will add them a little later.

Beautiful Method 

1. Chop around half the corriander that you have, Half the lemon juiced & olive oil and blend until you get a green paste.

2. Score the chicken

3. Rub the mix all over the chicken and place on a baking tray

4. Place the chicken in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes on 180c until nice and succulent 

5. Chop the tomatoes and Onion finely into small sized chunks

6. Chop the corriander and add together with the tomatoes and onions to a saucepan. Leave a small handful of corriander for serving.

7. Add the rest of the lemon juiced, Balsamic, Garlic, Paprika and Chipottle and mix well. Add a little more olive oil if needed.

8. After the chicken is done add it to to mix and place on the hob for 5-10 minutes until warmed through but not cooked enough that it loses it's colour.

9. Taste and add salt if required

10. Serve with rice or new potato's and a little rocket.

Quick Method

1. Chop around half the Corriander that you have, Half the lemon juiced & olive oil and blend until you get a green paste.

2. Score the chicken

3. Rub the mix all over the chicken and place in a oven proof dish

4. Chop the tomatoes and Onion finely into small sized chunks. You can also use good chopped tinned Tomatos.

5. Chop the corriander and add together with the tomatoes and onion to the oven proof dish with the chicken. Leave a small handful of corriander for serving

7. Add the rest of the lemon juiced, Balsamic, Garlic, Paprika and Chipottle and mix well. Add a little more olive oil if needed.

8. Place in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes until cooked

9. Taste and add salt if required

10. Serve with rice or new potato's and a little rocket.

The only reason why this method is not as beautiful is because it loses some of the vibrant colours during cooking but does taste as good maybe a little better.

Enjoy.

Quick Tandoori Chicken

People often ask me how can you cook Tandoori Chicken like the reasturants without having a tandoor? The truth is you cant but you can get pretty close. Follow my recipe below for some lovely succulent chicken that will take you 30 minutes from start to finish

Quick  Tandoori Chicken.

Ingredients
3-4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Chilli Powder / Hot Chilli Powder
Yoghurt
Salt
Methi (Fenugreek Leaves)
Lemon JuiceTandoori Massala Powder

Marinade Part 1  Per Chicken Breast

2 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons of Tandoori Massala
1 Teaspoon of Chilli Powder (More if you like it hotter)
1 Tablespoon of Salt

Marinade Part 2  Per Chicken Breast

1 Tablespoon of Yoghurt
2 Tablespoons of Tandoori Massala
1 Teaspoon of Chilli Powder (More if you like it hotter)
1 Teaspoon of Salt

Method

1. Marinade Part 1 - In a bowl mix the lemon juice, tandoori massala, chilli powder & salt together to make a runnyish liquid. You need to use quite a bit of salt as tandoori chicken is quite salty.  

2. Score the chicken.

3. Rub the marinade you just made into the slits getting right into the chicken then cover the rest of the chicken breast in the marinade. Your chicken should now look red in colour. I usually throw the chicken in to the marinade bowl, turn the chicken and rub it in.

4. Marinade Part 2 - Add yoghurt, Tandoori massala, chilli powder & salt into a bowl and mix well to make a light orange colour.

5. Place your chicken breast into the mixture and coat both sides ensuring you get into the slits and the chicken if covered in the marinade.

6. Place some tinned foil on a baking tray and put the marinated breasts on here.

7. Get a pinch of Methi and sprinkle on top of each breast.

8. Place in the oven on 180 degrees / Gas mark 4 for 20 - 30 minutes. Check the chicken at 20 minutes that the inside of the chicken is cooked so you know how much longer it needs as you want to keep the chicken as moist as possible.

9. Serve and enjoy.

* More pictures & recipes being added shortly.