Spicy Barbadian Chicken

I have to say, I was really excited to prepare this next dish... Again, most of the ingredients are staples in my kitchen, but it’s doubtful I’d ever have thought to combine ginger, habaneros, allspice, lime and molasses in the same dish. And a chicken dish, at that!

My preparation is based upon a grilled Barbadian chicken skewers recipe I found. Dragging our grill out of the shed was just too much of a hassle this week, even though I love to grill in winter, so I converted it to a baked dish.

I’d planned to serve this with a sweet potato recipe by Cat Cora, but that’d be an awfully heavy meal. We opted for a tossed salad instead. Those potatoes sound amazing though, despite the mixed reviews, so I’ll definitely save them for another time.

The entire time I prepared and cooked this dish, we marveled at how yummy it smelled. So fresh, thanks to the lime. And wheee, thanks to the peppers. Waiting for the brown rice to finish cooking was agony!

Finally, it was time for that first bite! AND?!?! Meh.

There is way too much lime in this recipe, especially the zest - it actually came out kind of bitter! Next time, I'd use maybe 2-3 limes at most and maybe no zest. Certainly less zest, if I keep it in. Mount Gay rum is excellent. I wouldn't even consider buying Bacardi or Captain Morgan now. But, I was shocked it didn't help to sweeten up the dish. And perhaps most surprising? The dish was barely spicy. 

All in all, though, the flavors really work together. I'd absolutely try this recipe again, but it definitely needs tweaking... Here's how I made it. Maybe you folks can suggest how to improve it? Your suggestions and feedback are most welcome. Thanks, gang!

4 cloves garlic

1 medium onion, cut into chunks

2 habanero peppers, seeded

5-6 scallions, roughly chopped

1 Tbsp dried thyme (or use fresh if you have it)

1½ tsp ground allspice

1” piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

¾ cup Mount Gay rum

½ cup molasses

4 limes, both zest and juice

Salt and pepper to taste

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Using a food processor, blend the first 7 ingredients until smooth. Pour sauce into a large glass or plastic bowl, and whisk in the rum, molasses, and lime zest and juice. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and then submerge it in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate, ideally for up to 24 hours.

When you’re ready to cook your meal, preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove the meat from the marinade, place it in an ovenproof dish, cover with foil, and bake for 30-40 minutes. Meanwhile, boil the marinade in a small saucepan and reduce slightly to thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if needed.