Jerk Chicken with Cool Pineapple Salsa

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The Food You Crave

Published by Taunton

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This image courtesy of Christopher Hirsheimer

This fiery, lively sauce hails from the Caribbean islands and is usually used to marinate meat for up to two days. I turned it into a quick and easy meal so you can have that spicy punch any time. The salsa is the perfect accompaniment, a tropical breeze designed to take down the heat you will surely feel from the sauce.

Serves4

Cooking Methodsauteeing

CostModerate

Total Timeunder 1 hour

OccasionFamily Get-together

Recipe Coursemain course

Dietary Considerationegg-free, gluten-free, halal, kosher, lactose-free, peanut free, tree nut free

Mealdinner

Taste and Texturefruity, hot & spicy, meaty, spiced

Ingredients

1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 cup finely diced pineapple, preferably fresh
1/3 cup seeded and finely diced English cucumber
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
4 teaspoons olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1¼ pounds), pounded between 2 sheets of wax paper to ½-inch thickness
1 cup chopped scallions (both white and green parts; about 6 scallions)
½ Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, seeded and finely minced (wear gloves when handling and keep your hands away from your eyes)
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger or ¼ teaspoon ground
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Instructions

To make the salsa, in a small bowl, whisk together the honey and lime juice. Combine the pineapple, cucumber, and mint in a medium bowl, pour the dressing on it, and toss to combine. This can be made up to a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
To make the chicken, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook until browned and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pan. Stir in the scallions, pepper, garlic, ginger, allspice, and thyme and cook for 30 seconds over medium heat. Add the broth and soy sauce and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Stir in the lime juice. Return the chicken to the pan and coat well with the sauce.
Serve the chicken topped with the sauce and the pineapple salsa on the side.