This iconic Jamaican dish brings all the flavours of the Caribbean to your British summertime repertoire.
If you’re igniting the barbecue, place the chicken pieces skin-side down over a medium heat then cook for around 30-40 minutes (turning over every 4-5 minutes) until the skin is charred and crispy and the juices run clear.
Ingredients (serves 4-6)
2 skin on, bone in chicken thighs
For the marinade
6 spring onions, trimmed and roughly chopped
1 thumb-sized chunk of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2-3 red chillies, finely sliced
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
To serve: fresh lime wedges; sweet potato wedges; coleslaw
Method
Using a sharp knife, slash through the skin of each chicken thigh. Transfer to a sealable container and season well.
Put all the ingredients for the marinade into a blender or food processor and blitz to create a thick purée (you might need to remove the lid and push the mixture down a couple of times with a rubber spatula until you get the right consistency.)
Tip the marinade over the chicken and mix/shake well, then cover and chill for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.
When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 200c/gas mark 7 and line a large baking tray with baking parchment. Place the chicken pieces on the tray, shaking off any excess marinade as you go and shaping the pieces back into neat thighs if they opened out a little when marinating.
Bake the chicken for 35-40 minutes or until thoroughly cooked through and the skin deep golden brown and charred in places.
Allow the chicken to rest for around 5-10 minutes before serving accompanied by sweet potato wedges, coleslaw and fresh lime wedges for spritzing.
