Spice up Your Weeknight with this Jerk Chicken and Quick Callaloo Recipe

You are going to love my jerk chicken and quick callaloo recipe. It’s healthy, comes together quickly, and will set your mouth on fire. If you are not familiar with jerk chicken, it is the spicy chicken recipe that Jamaica put on the map. And the quick callaloo is a mixture of spices, sweet potatoes, and greens that is a popular stew around the Caribbean. This meal will definitely transport your tastebuds!

I won’t lie to you, this recipe calls for a lot of spices, but don’t let that scare you! It’s still easy once you combine all those delicious spices and if you have been following along, maybe you have most of these in your cupboard already.

To me, jerk chicken and other Jamaican recipes are very reminiscent of Indian cuisine. Of course it has its own native ingredients and Caribbean flair, but there are so many influences added to it that really give it a unique flavor. Of course it has the jerk method which is native to the indigenous people of the island to smoke and preserve meat, the African influence with spices and sweet potatoes, the Spanish and British, and also the Indian influences in the 19th century indentured servants with whom introduced turmeric and curry. In my jerk chicken and quick callaloo recipe, you will see all of these influences and really indulge in a true global cuisine.

Serves 4

Suggested Wine Pairing:

Maybe not wine for this one, but definitely a Red Stripe Beer.

Tools Needed:

A grill! This chicken works best with a grill but you can use an indoor grill like me, a grill pan, or whatever you got!

Ingredients:

For The Jerk Chicken:

4 chicken thighs or breasts

1 teaspoon of each: cayenne, salt, pepper, all spice, paprika

1/2 teaspoon of each: cumin and cinnamon

For the Quick Callaloo:

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1/2 cup of water

8 ounces of kale, stems removed

1 onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon of ginger, minced

1/2 teaspoon of each: turmeric, coriander, thyme, and all spice

1 chili pepper, minced

2 tablespoons of plain yogurt

Salt and pepper to taste

Scallions for the pretty

Instructions:

1. Let’s start with the quick callaloo. In a large stock pot, add sweet potatoes and water with plenty of salt. Simmer on medium heat for about 15 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated. Add in the olive oil and onion and saute for 5 minutes.
2. To the same pot add the garlic, ginger, and chili pepper and saute for another minute before adding the kale and spices with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 more minutes.
3. In the meantime, combine the spices for the jerk chicken and use it as a dry rub. Grill the chicken over medium heat for 8 or so minutes each side.
4. Stir in the yogurt to your callaloo and make sure the potatoes are cooked through. Serve alongside the jerk chicken and garnish with scallions.

If you like this, be sure to check our my spicy Moroccan Chicken!