This is day 3 of my new updated routine as we are on lockdown due to the spreading of the Coronavirus. This basically means we are not to leave our house for non-essential items but we can go to the grocery store, doctors and that’s about it. As of last week, my job decided to have us work from home as a part of the social distancing. So as you can imagine I have had a little more time on my hands, and have been doing a lot of catching up with friends, facetime calls, and cooking!

As part of the lockdown, I will be working from home from now until April 7 or who really knows. My normal routine has been shifted so that we can stay safe and hopefully stop the spreading of COVD-19.

During this time I have been able to cook more in the kitchen now that my daily commute consists of me walking from my bedroom to my living room. I find myself cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

One of the dishes I was craving was Jerk Chicken and Rice and Peas.

This is one of my favorite Jamaican meals, and I finally decided its time to recreate it. I found myself on youtube one night and basically went down the rabbit hole to find the perfect guide to help me recreate one of my favorite meals. I have been having a blast chatting with you guys on Insta-Stories so be sure to follow me and check out my Quartine Cooking Stories!

Doesn’t this look amazing!

The jerk chicken is not as hard as it may look. The hardest part will be letting your chicken marinate. It is very important to not cook your chicken right away as you want to give the chicken time to absorb all this goodness. I set mine overnight and I’m so glad I did. As a little tip make sure you are placing slits in your chicken so that amazing flavor can enter inside 🙂

What makes this dis so easy is that the seasonings basically do the work for you! My favorite Jerk seasoning is from Walkerswood. This Jerk seasoning does come in spicy and mild. The browning sauce is also another essential and gives our chicken a nice color. For my Bay Area folks, you can pick up all of your spices at Minto Jamaican Market located at 4042 Broadway. You can also buy these spices on Amazon if you don’t feel like going out.

Cooking the chicken in the oven and baste it every 30 mins ensures you will have a nice juicy chicken! If you don’t have a baster, no worries! Make sure you use a spoon like I am below and tilt the pan so the juice comes to one send and spoon it over each breast. You will surprise yourself once this dish is completed because it is amazing! If you make this dish let know what you think! I hope you guys enjoy this recipe and are staying safe during this crazy phase we are in.

Cooking up That Work Vol. 19

As always while cooking I’m always jamming to some music. The playlist for the week is some of my favorite Reggae Jams!

Jerk Chicken & Rice and Peas

Course Main Course

Servings 3

Ingredients

Jerk Chicken Thighs

6 Chicken Thighs
1-2 Spicy Jerk Seasoning
1 tsp browning
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp Maggie Chicken Seasoning
1 tsp herbs de provence

Rice & Peas

2 cups dried kidney beans
1 small onion cut into quarters
1 tsp thyme
1/2 can coconut milk
1-2 tsp salt *salt to your taste
2 1/2 cups rice
1-2 tsp Maggie Chicken Seasoning to your taste
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp brown sugar

Sauce

1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup BBQ Sauce
1-2 tsp Jerk Seasoning
1 tbsp Honey
1/4 cup water

Instructions

For the beans: Rinse the beans 2-3 times and add the beans to a pot and add enough water to cover. Add the onions and thyme to the pot. Let the beans soak in water for a minimum of 2 1/2 hour or overnight if you have time.
Add the pot of beans to the stove and let cook for an hour to an hour and a half on medium heat. Check the beans and the beans should be soft(test one, if it is not soft let it cook for another 30 mins)
Once the beans are soft, remove the large onion chunks.
Add coconut milk and seasoning. Let cook for about 10 mins so that coconut milk can melt.
Wash rice thoroughly and add drained rice to the pot. Add 3 cups of water to the pot. Allow the rice to boil about 10 mins on medium heat. Once the rice is boiling adjust head to the lowest temp. Allow the rice to cook until there is no water. Make sure you watch the rice as it is very easy to burn.

Jerk Chicken

Wash your chicken with vinegar and water or lemon. Whichever you prefer, but please wash your chicken! Let the chicken sit in the vinegar and water for about 20 mins. Wash your chicken until the water runs clear. Now you are ready to season!
Coat your chicken with all the seasonings I like to use gloves to not get all this all over my hand, but you can use your hands if you please. Marinate your chicken for at least 1-2 hours. I marinated my chicken overnight because I had the time!
Preheat oven to 400 and bake the chicken for 1 hour and 10 mins. Take the chicken out every 30 mins, flip and baste the chicken with the marinade that it is in the pan. It ensures you get nice juicy chicken!

Jerk Sauce

add the ketchup, BBQ sauce, honey and water to a small pot on medium heat.
Allow sauce to simmer for about 2 mins and remove from heat
Once your chicken is done, Drizzle the chicken with the sauce, or add it on the side! Add your side of rice. Serve this meal with a veggie or go the traditional route and make some cole slaw!

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