Here I have chopped the chicken and served it in lettuce cups, but you can also leave the thighs whole and serve them on top of the lettuce greens with the salsa as a dressing. The terrific Caribbean marinade is also good with pork.
Annabel Langbein’s jerk chicken with Caribbean salsa. Photo supplied.
Annabel Langbein’s jerk chicken with Caribbean salsa.
Ready in 1 hour + marinating
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
12-16 skin-on boneless chicken thighs, halved
24-36 baby gem or cos lettuce leaves, separated
a squeeze of lemon or lime juice, to finish
Jerk marinade
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 long red chilli, finely chopped
juice and finely grated zest of 2 limes
2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp neutral oil
1 Tbsp mustard powder
1 Tbsp dried thyme
5 tsp allspice
2 tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
Caribbean salsa
finely grated zest and juice of 1 juicy lime
½-1 long red chilli, or more to taste, very finely chopped
½ pineapple or 2-3 peaches or nectarines, finely chopped
¼ cup shredded coriander or basil leaves
½ tsp salt ground black pepper, to taste
Method
To make the jerk marinade, combine all the ingredients in a large roasting dish or clean plastic bag. Add chicken to the dish or bag and turn to coat evenly. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.
To make Caribbean salsa, mix everything together gently. It can be prepared in advance without the coriander or basil and chilled for up to six hours until needed. Stir in the coriander or basil just before serving.
When ready to cook, preheat barbecue grill to a medium heat. Lift chicken pieces from marinade and grill, turning frequently, until fully cooked through (about 20 minutes).
To serve, arrange lettuce leaf cups on a large serving platter. Slice chicken pieces into three and arrange on top, then add salsa and finish with a drizzle of lime or lemon juice.
-This recipe is just one of many great recipes in Annabel's new summer annual A Free Range Life: Celebrate Summer! (Annabel Langbein Media, $24.95), available from Paper Plus, The Warehouse and all good supermarkets and bookshops nationwide.
