I absolutely love the summer time, especially for all its nutrient-dense produce in season. . . sweet fruits, a little relaxation and plenty of sunshine gets me excited to jump in the kitchen (or backyard) and put together refreshing recipes to savor the season. In the winter time I love making soups, stews and anything I can throw in the crock-pot because it’s so easy, but during the summer, especially with the 100+ degree weather here in Vegas, it’s hard not to want to eat anything but smoothies. The grill or grill pan can be a great friend because it can be really easy to marinate anything from chicken, pork, veggies, etc and throw it on the grill for a quick meal. I’m also a big fan of contrasting flavors and textures. Pairing sweet, savory and slightly spicy flavors makes my mouth sing. That is why I really enjoy this summer recipe of Jerk Chicken with mango salsa. It’s the perfect recipe for summer grillin’ and chillin’ in the backyard with a nice frosty margarita. Enjoy!
Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients (Many of these steps can be done in advance)
For the Chicken:
- 1 tsp lime rind
- 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp ground allspice
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp finely chopped jalapeno
- cayenne pepper to your liking
- 2 tbsp olive or canola oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pound fairly thin so they are not too thick)
Place all the chicken ingredients in a zippy bag and marinate this mixture at least 2 hours in the fridge, turning occasionally.
For the Sweet Potato base: (Do this while the Chicken is marinating)
Stab 2 large yams/sweet potatoes with a fork, spray lightly with oil or pam and wrap in foil. Place in a 375-400 F oven for about 1 hour, depending on the size of them. They will feel very tender when done.
For the Mango Salsa: (Do this while the sweet potatoes are baking, close to eating time)
- 1 tsp finely diced jalapeno (you can add more if you like it hot)
- Zest of one lime
- Juice of one lime
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- ¼ to ½ English cucumber, diced
- 1 mango, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup non-fat greek yogurt
Mix all the salsa ingredients together and place in fridge until ready to plate.
Time to Grill the Chicken:
Prepare the grill. Grease grill with canola oil to keep the chicken from sticking. For great grill marks place chicken on grill for 3-5 minutes, turn chicken about 35 degrees and cook another 3-5 minutes on the same side. Baste chicken with the extra marinade. Turn chicken over and repeat on the other side. Total cooking time, depending on the thickness, should be about 12-20 minutes. Instant Thermometer should read about 160 in the thickest part. Let chicken rest 5 minutes covered with foil when done.
For the Presentation:
Cut the sweet potato in half widthwise then in half again lengthwise and fan open ½ the potato on the plate, place about a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of salsa mixture over the sweet potato, slice chicken thinly and fan slices on top. Dollop with more Greek yogurt, lime slice, and sprig of fresh cilantro. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon. It’s a flavor explosion in the mouth, yum!
