Island Style Recipe

Make the Jerk Marinade

In a bowl or blender combine lime juice, vegetable oil, soy sauce, dark brown sugar, minced garlic, grated ginger, chopped scallions, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, dried thyme, chopped scotch bonnet (use half or omit seeds if you prefer less heat), salt and black pepper. Blend or whisk until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust salt or heat.

Marinate the Chicken

Place the chicken thighs in a large zip-top bag or shallow dish and pour half of the marinade over them, reserving the other half for basting. Massage the marinade into the chicken, remove excess air from the bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight for best flavor penetration.

Cook the Chicken

Preheat grill or oven to 400°F (200°C). If grilling, oil the grates. Remove chicken from marinade and let sit at room temperature 15 minutes while the grill heats. Grill chicken skin-side down first for 6–8 minutes, then flip and continue grilling 6–8 minutes, basting with reserved marinade and cooking until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and skin is nicely charred. If using oven, place thighs on a sheet pan lined with foil and roast for 30–35 minutes, basting once halfway, then broil 2–3 minutes to crisp skin if desired. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. In a medium saucepan combine rinsed rice, coconut milk, water, salt and sugar. Stir once, bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15–18 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in chopped cilantro if using.

In a medium bowl combine diced pineapple, diced mango, red bell pepper, red onion and cilantro. Drizzle with lime juice and olive oil, season with salt and black pepper. Toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust lime or salt. Chill at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld before serving.

Plate 2 sides per serving: spoon coconut rice and a generous scoop of pineapple mango salsa alongside each chicken thigh (or slice the thighs if preferred). Garnish with lime wedges and extra chopped cilantro. Serve warm.