Birdie's 'everybody welcome' jerk chicken
Having opened up her home to more than 800 foster children over the years, Birdie's house can be quite a busy place – especially at dinner time! But she loves cooking, and her delicious easy jerk chicken recipe is a great dish to welcome new children into the family (and can easily be multiplied to cater for larger crowds). Discover how to make jerk chicken and share it with your loved ones.
- Make 4 diagonal cuts on the skin side of each chicken leg, down to the bone. Mix the marinade ingredients together and season. Rub the marinade all over the chicken, working it into the cuts. Marinate, covered, in the fridge for at least 3½ hrs, preferably overnight.
- Preheat the oven to gas 5, 190°C, fan 170°C. Roast the chicken on a foil-lined baking tray for 30 mins, then turn the heat up to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C and cook for another 20 mins or until cooked through.
- Meanwhile, make the salad. Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the corn cobs and simmer for 8 mins. Drain, rinse under cold running water to cool and then slice off the kernels by cutting down the length of the cobs with a sharp knife. Mix in a bowl with the rest of the salad ingredients.
- To make the dressing, put the mustard, oil and vinegar in a small jar with some seasoning, put the lid on and shake to mix. Toss with the salad to coat. Serve with the chicken and lime wedges to squeeze over.
Little help
Feeling inspired? Have a go at making the jerk marinade from scratch. Simply combine 2 tbsp ground allspice, 1 tsp onion granules, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tbsp chopped thyme, 8 finely minced garlic cloves, 2 finely chopped Scotch Bonnet or mixed chillies, 2 finely chopped spring onions (including the green tops), 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp clear honey, 2 tbsp soft brown sugar, and the juice of half a lime. Marinate and cook the chicken as above.
Leftovers
Finely chop leftover chillies and spring onions and throw into a stir-fry. Add a squeeze of lime juice for a bit of added zing!
For top tips on protecting you and your family when preparing raw meat and poultry, visit Food Safety in the Home.
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