Wha Gwan?! Welcome to Jamrock mon! Being from Toronto everyone naturally has a little bit of Jamaican in them, if you’re from here, then you’ll know what we’re talking about! Toronto has one of the largest Jamaican populations in the world so some of our favourite restaurants and places to eat growing up were Jamaican restaurants. Oxtail, ackee, patty’s, jerk chicken… you name it, we’ve got it!

On today’s episode, we’re cooking up one of our childhood favourites - Jerk Chicken with Rice & Peas served with a side of ‘slaw. For those of you that don’t know, Jerk refers to a traditional Jamaican method of seasoning and cooking meats, vegetables or tofu. Rooted in ingredients from Jamaica’s fertile green landscape, jerk consists of an exotic blend of scallions, onions, scotch bonnet peppers, salt, thyme, allspice, black pepper and many other spices. Savoury, fragrant, and tenaciously spicy, jerk is a must have for that burst of flavour and a touch of heat! Alright, let's get into it!

JAMAICAN JERK CHICKEN WITH RICE & PEAS

Ingredients

The Jerk Chicken

• 1 onion

• 3 chopped green onions

• 2 chopped Scotch bonnet chiles

• 2 chopped garlic cloves

• 1 tablespoon of five-spice powder (if you don’t have, combine cinnamon, anise seeds, pepper, and cloves) 

• 1 teaspoon nutmeg powder

• 1 tablespoon allspice powder

• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• Two 4-pound chickens, quartered

• 80ml of orange juice 

Rice & Peas

• 2 cups canned kidney beans

• 2 cups water

• 1 finely chopped onion

• 2 chopped green onions

• 3 minced garlic cloves

• 3 tablespoons allspice

• 3 tablespoons thyme

• 1 tablespoon nutmeg

• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Two 13.5-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk

• 2 cups long-grain white rice

Homemade Coleslaw

• 1 head of shredded cabbage

• 1 large shredded carrot

• 3/4 cup of mayonnaise

• 1 1/2 tablespoon of honey

• 2 tablespoons dijion mustard

• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon of celery seeds (if you have them)

Instructions

The Jerk Chicken

1. In a blender or food processor, combine the onion, garlic, green onion, chilies, nutmeg, 5 spice, allspice, pepper, thyme, nutmeg and salt. 

2. With the machine on, add the soy sauce and vegetable oil slowly.

3. Pour the marinade into a large, shallow dish, add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover with orange juice. 

4. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

5. Bring the chicken to room temperature before proceeding.

6. Light a grill. Grill the chicken over a medium-hot fire, turning occasionally, until well browned and cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes. (Cover the grill for a smokier flavor.) (See notes)

7. Transfer the chicken to a platter and serve.

Rice & Peas

1. In a large saucepan, cover the beans with the water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Stir in the onion, scallions, garlic, allspice, thyme, nutmeg, chilies, ginger, and salt and pepper.

3. Stir in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer.

4. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minute.

5. Stir in the rice, cover and simmer over low heat until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes.

6. Remove from the heat and let steam for 10 minutes. 

7. Serve hot with a side of coleslaw!

Coleslaw

1. Combine the mayo, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, honey and salt in a bowl and toss in the shredded carrot and cabbage.

Servings

6-8 Servings

 Notes

If you don’t have a flame grill to cook the chicken, the oven will also do a fantastic job! Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Pour some vegetable oil into a pan and place the chicken onto the baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for about an hour or until no longer pink.