Jerk Chicken

I was in Grand Cayman the first time I ate Jerk Chicken.

It was the Christmas of my junior year of college, and my family spent the week after Christmas in Grand Cayman.

It was awesome.  We went to Stingray City and I'm pretty sure a stingray climbed all the way up my body and sat on my head.  While I screamed.

And we went to some great local restaurant one night, where I ordered the jerk chicken.  I had never eaten jerk chicken, and I loved it!

So I've been making this recipe from The Bunny cookbook for years...and we love it.  My husband.  My kids. Me.

It's just delicious - sweet, spicy (but not hot), and wonderfully warm from the cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves.

You've got to try it.  I served it with green rice and pineapple salsa.

It's as close as I can get to Grand Cayman from Kentucky.

Jerk Chicken
Adapted from Creating a Stir

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I cut them into strips)
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 onion, diced
3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 T fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped (or about 2 tsp dried)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp cinnamon

Puree ingredients except for chicken in a food processor.  Place the chicken in a gallon-size food storage bag and pour the marinade over the top. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours (overnight is good too!), turning occasionally so that the marinade reaches all of the chicken.

Grill the chicken, discarding the marinade, for 4-6 minutes per side, until cooked through.