Want to know what's cooking at the Renegade's tonight? Well, apparently, @armadillocreek is wondering because he nominated us to join in @jaynie's #whatscookingchallenge. So, let's get started.
We're running low on beef and, if I am being totally honest, my parents don't eat quite as much beef as we do. Usually, we pasture a steer in the summer and fill the freezer at the end of the season but this year we decided not to. What beef we have left isn't where we're staying so I've been trying new proteins and new recipes.
I tweaked a paleo jerk chicken recipe I found when the mister said it just wasn't spicy enough to really be Jerk Chicken the first time I made it. Ok, confession time. I went to Jamaica and I never tried jerk chicken! I know! I was in the backyard of where the recipe originated and I never tried it. Apparently, the group I was with found out about a chicken stand on the beach and they'd hit it up daily but the chicken was so good it sold out almost instantly. Needless to say, I am really wishing I had tried the chicken so I have a flavour profile to work with here. I digress.
I thought, the original, un-spicy recipe was really good though so I decided not to change much at all. To kick it up a notch I added jalapeño peppers. Traditional jerk chicken uses scotch bonnet chiles but I didn't have access to any so jalapeño it was. Plus, scotch bonnet chiles are insanely hot, or so I'm told. Jalapeño peppers are a good starting point if you like spicy food but aren't accustomed to traditional Caribbean heat. I also swapped the coconut aminos for wheat-free soy sauce. Why do they add wheat to soy sauce anyway? It's not like it's thick or needs to be thickened.
While I really enjoy this recipe, I think I would make even more changes the next time around. I would definitely double the sauce and use 3/4 to 1 whole pineapple instead of just a half. I would also dice the red pepper and pineapple a lot more finely and work it right into the sauce. Matt also suggested adding smoked paprika to the spice blend to enrich the pepper taste and mimic the traditional smoke flavour without actually smoking the chicken. The original recipe is from My Natural Family so if you like it, be sure to stop by her website to see what else she has going on.
The little renegades joined in this family dinner and devoured it. We made the mistake of letting them gnaw on small chunks of jalapeño pepper but poor H ended up feeling wildly betrayed. Other than the jalapeño itself, the littlest renegades enjoyed the spiciness and Matthew said the recipe had more of the jerk flavour he was looking for.
Onto the goods!
Ingredients
- 4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, Sliced
- 1/2 Fresh Pineapple, Slivered
- 2 Jalapeño Peppers, diced
- 1 Tbsp Arrowroot Powder
- 1 tsp ground Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Ground Allspice
- 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Pink Sea Salt
- 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
- 2 Tbsp Honey
- 1/4 cup Wheat-free Soy Sauce (or Coconut Aminos)
Method
Mix the arrowroot powder and dry spices together. Add in the minced garlic and lime juice to make a paste. Once blended mix in the honey and soy and whisk together and set aside.
Dice up your red pepper, pineapple, and jalapeño. A word of warning: use gloves when handling hot peppers like jalapeños! The oil from the peppers and the seeds are extremely potent and if you touch your face or eyes after touching these peppers you will regret not heeding my advice whilst writhing in pain.
Butterfly the chicken breasts and place them in a lightly oiled 9x13" baking dish. Cover the chicken with the red pepper and pineapple before evenly coating the chicken with the sauce.
Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes or until the inside is no longer pink.
Pairs well with jasmine rice.
Serve hot, but not too hot. Eat your face off. Enjoy! Pat your now full and satisfied belly.
I'd love to see what's cooking in the kitchens of @senorcoconut, @llfarms, @bthebest7, @crowbarmama, and @karenfoster
The obligatory Jerk Selfie.All photos and illustrations in this post are original work by Mrs. Canadian Renegade.
