Caribbean Jerk Étouffée Recipe

Marinate chicken

Pat the chicken thighs dry. In a bowl, combine jerk seasoning, lime juice, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Rub the mixture evenly over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, ideally 2–4 hours for best flavor.

Sear and shred

Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and sear 3–4 minutes per side until nicely browned. Reduce heat, add 1/4 cup water or stock, cover, and simmer 8–10 minutes until internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F). Remove chicken to a plate, let rest 5 minutes, then shred with forks. Reserve any pan juices.

Make a blond roux

In a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or deep skillet, heat 3 tbs butter and 1 tbs vegetable oil over medium heat. Add 3 tbs flour and whisk continuously to form a smooth roux. Cook 3–5 minutes until the roux is a light golden (blond) color and smells slightly nutty, taking care not to burn it.

Sauté the holy trinity

Add the diced onion, green pepper and celery to the roux. Stir to coat and cook 5–6 minutes until the vegetables are soft and translucent. Add minced garlic and thyme and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Add the shredded carrots and sliced mushrooms to the pan. Cook 4–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have released their liquid and begun to brown and carrots have softened. Stir in the sliced scallions.

Slowly whisk in 2 cups chicken stock into the roux mixture until smooth. Scrape up any browned bits and incorporate the reserved pan juices from the chicken. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Stir in 1 cup coconut milk, 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust heat with up to 1 tsp hot sauce if desired. Reduce heat to low and simmer the étouffée 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a saucy consistency that will coat the back of a spoon.

Add the shredded jerk chicken back into the sauce and simmer 3–4 minutes to meld flavors and warm the chicken through. If the sauce becomes too thick, loosen with up to 1/2 cup additional stock or water.

Stir in chopped parsley and additional sliced scallions. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste and a squeeze of lime if desired.

Serve the Caribbean Jerk Étouffée hot over cooked long-grain or coconut rice, garnish with lime wedges and extra scallions.