Paleo Jerk Chicken Feast

 Who wouldn't want to have a paleo jerk chicken party?? Chicken marinated then cooked in a spicy, tangy, sweet sauce...well, it's just perfect for eating with your hands, getting super messy and sharing with friends. This simplified version can be made in the oven or crock pot, so it's super easy to make, especially for a crowd. Pair it with a few other Jamaican-inspired dishes (and maybe some Red Stripe beer?!) and you've got an official feast. 

Jerk sauce usually has brown sugar in it, and sometimes even soy sauce...I love the heat and flavors of jerk seasoning, so I decided it was high time to make my own version that fits with my paleo eating style. You can adjust the heat to your liking by changing the type of pepper used, how much you use and whether or not you leave in the pepper seeds, where most of the heat lives. 

If you're not so into chicken, try this jerk sauce on your favorite meat...this would make great pulled pork...or even on fish!

Also, don't bother making this with boneless, skinless chicken breast. Waste of money! All the fat and flavor come from the skin and bones on the chicken...go for dark meat, like the leg, and make sure you opt for skin-on. Trust me. 

 Paleo Jerk Chicken

(serves 4-6) 

6 organic, free-range chicken legs--with skin and bones

1 cup yellow onion, chopped--about 1/2 of a medium onion

6 cloves garlic

1/4-1/2 habanero pepper, seeds removed--or to heat preference

(you could also use jalapeno for less heat, I've used 1 whole jalapeno with seeds for this recipe before)

3" ginger, chopped

4 scallions, chopped

1 small orange, peeled

1/4 cup dried thyme (or 2 Tbs fresh)

2 Tbs ground allspice

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp sea salt, or to taste

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 Tbs coconut aminos

2 Tbs coconut oil or butter

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup water or broth

Place all ingredients, except the chicken, in a blender and puree until smooth. Place chicken in a casserole-type dish and prick with a knife a few times per piece, so the marinade can soak into the chicken better. Pour marinade over the chicken and cover. Refrigerate and let sit overnight to marinate, or at least 8 hours. 

If roasting the chicken. preheat oven to 350 F. Cover the casserole dish with foil and roast for 20 minutes. Uncover and cook 20-25 more minutes, until chicken is cooked all the way through (the juices run clear when it's cut and the meat is no longer pink in the center) and the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly. 

If using the crock pot, place the chicken and marinade in a medium-sized crock pot. Turn to high and let cook for 6-8 hours until chicken is cooked all the way through and sauce has reduced and thickened. 

*The roasting method will give you a crispier skin and leave the chicken legs more intact. The crock pot method will yield more of a pulled chicken feel in the end.

Now, onto the sides!

 Coconut Coleslaw

(serves 4-6)

4 cups green cabbage, shredded--about 1/2 head medium cabbage

 2 carrots, shredded

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup red onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup mayonnaise--paleo-friendly! 

1/2 cup full fat coconut milk

2 Tbs dijon mustard

2 Tbs apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup lime juice (about 1 lime's worth)

1/2 tsp sea salt--or to taste...I probably ended up using more

1/4 tsp black pepper

Spread coconut out in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 F for 3-5 minutes until lightly toasted and beginning to brown slightly...watch it carefully, that stuff will burn before you know it! Set aside to cool. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, coconut milk, vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper. Add in the prepped vegetables and toasted coconut. Mix well to combine, until everything is evenly coated with the dressing. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Callaloo is a traditional Jamaican/Caribbean dish, prepared similarly to collard greens in the south. Both have origins in different parts of Africa. Callaloo is actually a type of dark, leafy green that is cooked with vegetables, spices, and sometimes even salt fish. Since I couldn't find any callaloo leaves here in Portland, I used locally-grown collard greens. They give the deep flavor and bitterness needed from the greens in this recipe...it's wonderful!

Brassica vegetables, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and even collards are ridiculously good for you...no surprise I'm sure. But the specific reason they're so good for you can be surprising. These vegetables are a source of indole-3-carbinol, calcium D-glucarate and DIM, which are helpful for healthy estrogen metabolism  and cellular detoxification, which could possibly help lower risk of breast and other cancers. Plus, these sulfur-rich veggies help with all sorts of functions in the body, such as joint health and making the amino acid glutathione, which is a potent antioxidant in the body. Good thing it's so easy, inexpensive and delicious to get these veggies in your diet! Win! Now you can feel even better about making these greens!

Jamaican-Style Collard Greens (Callaloo)

(serves 4-6)

6 cups collard greens or callaloo leaves, chopped--I used 2 bunches of collards

1 cup onion, thinly sliced

1 red or green bell pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

Fresh hot pepper to taste--I used 1/2 jalapeno pepper, but you could use serrano or even habanero 

1 medium tomato, diced

2 Tbs butter or coconut oil

2 Tbs dried thyme

2 Tbs coconut aminos

2 Tbs apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste

1/4 tsp black pepper

In a large skillet, heat butter or coconut oil over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper. Saute 3-5 minutes until slightly caramelized and beginning to soften. Add hot pepper, garlic and thyme, and saute 2-3 more minutes. Add collard greens and coconut aminos to the pan and stir. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and let cook 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, salt and pepper and cook 2-3 more minutes until tomato begins to cook down. Turn off heat and add vinegar to the pan to deglaze, stirring and scraping the pan to get all the little good bits off the bottom if any stuck. Salt and pepper more to taste and serve. 

Well I hope you have all the recipes you need to have a Jamaican-inspired jerk fest...your friends will be so happy, and you will, too!