Jamaican Chicken with Pineapple and Rum

September 19, 2017

Jamaican Chicken with Pineapple and Rum
 
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The chicken cooks for about 40 minutes and comes out of the oven a deep mahogany brown and smelling insane. The warm pineapple is sweet and spicy, and each of the flavors manages to come through bright and clear. The chicken itself is super moist and succulent.
Author:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 2 chicken breasts, bone in, skin on, each one split in half
  • 2 to 4 chicken legs
  • 2 to 4 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
  • 1 pineapple, peeled and sliced in ½ inch slices
  • big handful of fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
The Marinade
  • 2 tsp coriander
  • 2 tsp allspice
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 4 inch piece of ginger, peeled and cut in chunks
  • 1 Serrano pepper, cut in chunks, seeds and all
  • zest and juice of 1 lime
  • ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp vinegar (any kind)
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • ½ cup pineapple juice
  • ½ cup rum (white or dark)
Instructions
  1. First make the marinade. Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until pureed. There should still be a little bit of texture left in the sauce.
  2. I cut the chicken breasts in half so that they are closer in size to the legs and thighs. Put all the chicken in a large zip lock baggie and pour in the marinade. Massage the chicken to coat everything, and put in the refrigerator for at least an hour, up to overnight.
  3. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  4. Heat a grill pan over high heat and when it is quite hot, remove the chicken pieces from the marinade, shake off the excess liquid, and brown the chicken for a couple of minutes to get a nice caramelization. I did this with the pineapple, too. (You can actually skip this whole step if you are in a hurry)
  5. Put the leftover marinade in a saucepan and heat to a boil and cook for a couple of minutes to thicken slightly.
  6. Arrange the chicken and the pineapple on a large baking sheet. I like to cut the pineapple rings in half or in quarters first. Brush liberally with the sauce.
  7. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Baste everything with the sauce once or twice during baking to keep it from drying out.
  8. Serve the chicken right away, garnished with fresh cilantro leaves and more sauce on the side.

 

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