Jamaican Jerk Chicken

We love boneless skinless chicken thighs because they have so much more flavor than breasts.  This recipe amps them both up with a spicy jerk-style marinade that you can tailor to your liking by using more or less jalapenos.  Served with Roasted Carrots and Quinoa Pilaf.

(modification of original recipe from Cooking Light)

Serves 6

• 1 teaspoon grated lime rind
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon ground allspice
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno pepper, seeds removed (portion according to heat preference)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (I’m not a big nutmeg fan, so I do cut this back to 1/8 teaspoon)
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1 pound)
• 3 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• Parsley sprigs (optional garnish)
• Lime slices (optional garnish)

Combine first 12 ingredients (grated lime rind – garlic) in a blender or mini-food processor until well blended. Pour mixture into a large gallon sized zip-lock plastic bag. Add onion and chicken; seal bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, turning the bag occasionally to coat all sides.

Prepare grill. Remove chicken from the bag; discard the marinade. Grill on direct medium heat for 12 minutes, turning once. Garnish with parsley and limes slices, if desired.

Serving size = 2 thighs or 1 breast half

Nutritional Info/Serving: Calories 169, Fat 5 g, Protein 26 g, Carbs 3g