Jerk Chicken

My cooking over the last couple of years has really changed. I find myself leaning towards recipes that take little prep work and leave me with only one dish to clean up after dinner. But I still enjoy great flavorful dishes. So I have been on the hunt for great recipes that are a little more than just throwing ingredients together...so I can actually claim that I "cooked dinner."


Jerk Chicken

For those of you who actually make the real thing...my hat goes off to you. You are a true cook in my eyes. (I don't really wear hats, but if I did I would take it off if you actually made real Jerk Chicken.) And I know that I have already lost some of you. Jerk Chicken is a Jamaican dish that uses a combination of hot, sweet and warm(cinnamon, cloves) flavors. It is really tasty. But it involves a crazy amount of spices..all the spices that are probably not in your pantry. So if you got a craving for this delicious chicken you would have to go out and buy 100 dollars worth of spices just to make Jerk Chicken. Instead, you can make my version! It so simple..yet really gives you that warm spicy flavor that only comes from Jerk Chicken. Think Christmas in Jamaica.... try this one out. You'll love it. And as always you can count on it being healthy and easy! I like to serve mine with brown rice.

Here is how it's done....

1 env. Italian Dressing mix
2 Tbs Brown Sugar
2 Tbs Oil
2 Tbs Soy Sauce
1 heaping tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of Ground thyme
1\2 tsp. Ground red pepper
1-1\2 1b Boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-1\2 pieces
3 red bell peppers- chunked
1 can of chuncked pineapple

Mix first seven ingredients until well blended; pour over chicken in large bowl. Stir to evenly coat chicken. Refrigerate 1-2 hours.

Heat Grill to medium- high heat. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Thread chicken into 12 skewers alternately with bell peppers and pineapple.

Grill 15 min. or until chicken is done, turning frequently.

If you have read my blog, than you know that I have two meal plans. One for Spring\Summer and the other for Fall\Winter. This recipe could go on either menu plan because it is a grilling recipe(summer)but it's warm cinnamon flavors are perfect for early fall. So try this one out..if you like it add it to your menu plan. And then hang on to it because in a couple of blogs I'm going to show you what to do with it!