Get ready to be taken to Jamaica with these Jerk Chicken Bowls with Mango Pineapple Salsa served over coconut rice. It’s an easy weeknight meal your family will love!
Grilled Jerk Chicken Bowls with Mango Pineapple Salsa
Ok, so it’s been about a month and a half since we got back from our trip to Jamaica. While we were there, I was on a personal mission to try and find out what the trick was to making the perfect jerk chicken.
After all, that IS what Jamaica is known for. Well, that and their rum. haha.
Honestly, almost every one I asked was very secretive about it. They didn’t really answer the question. They would say, “It’s different for each family” and would then drop it.
There was a place near our resort called “Scotchies” that is KNOWN for their jerk chicken. You can smell it driving by. But we didn’t get a chance to stop. The locals rave about it. So next time we go, for sure we are stopping there!
From what I could taste and smell, I thought it had cinnamon, cloves, garlic, cumin, and scotch bonnets.
The last day, on our way to the airport I finally was able to nail down our driver. I told him that everyone I’ve asked has been very secretive about the recipe to jerk chicken but I would love to be able to try and make it at home so I could write about Jamaica on my food blog.
Hook, line and sinker. (They are very proud of their island.)
He spilled the beans and told me a few of the key ingredients, which were scallions or green onions and thyme. So after much mixing and messing around I think my mom and I nailed the recipe. This one is not super hot. I couldn’t find scotch bonnets at the grocery store so I used jalapeños. If you like a little more heat, you could add two jalapeños instead of one.
Now that I have the spice combination down, I also have the perfect “carrier” for all this spice –> JustBARE’s Organic Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts. These hand-trimmed organic chicken breasts are down right tasty and you can definitely tell a difference in taste and appearance! The product is environmentally friendly, highly trimmed of fat and carries the USDA Organic certified seal. All of JustBARE’s chickens are vegetable and grain fed, have access to outdoor and are raised with No Antibiotics—Ever.
Tips for Making These Grilled Chicken Bowls
I have absolutely loved working with JustBARE the past couple of months and will definitely be using their products moving forward. I know what’s in their chicken because the company is so transparent and the flavor is totally there!
Once that jerk spice blend hits these organic chicken breasts the combination is magical. I let my chicken rest and marinade for about 15 minutes or so to let all the flavors soak in before I threw them on the grill.
What really makes this Jerk Chicken Bowl pop is all the other tropical flavors mixed in. The coconut rice and beans along with the Mango Pineapple Salsa! The combo of the sweet, salty, spicy and creamy will have your taste buds going crazy!
I guarantee this is a winner and you can even make the chicken and or salsa ahead of time to shave off some cooking time right before dinner.
Bon Appetit friends!
*** This recipe was sponsored by Just BARE Chicken. However, like always all opinions are 100% mine! Thank you for supporting the brands that support Joyful Healthy Eats. ***
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Jerk Chicken Bowls with Mango Pineapple Salsa
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 bowls 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: Jamaican
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Get ready to be taken to Jamaica with these Jerk Chicken Bowls with Mango Pineapple Salsa served over coconut rice. It’s an easy weeknight meal your family will love!
Ingredients
Jerk Chicken:
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 jalapeno finely minced (if you want the dish spicier, add another jalapeno or use one scotch bonnet)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 stalks of green onions (or scallions), minced
- juice of 1 lime
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb. JustBARE Organic Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
Coconut Rice:
- 14 oz. can of coconut milk
- 2 oz. water
- 1 cup dry long grain rice
- 1/2 cup low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
Mango Pineapple Salsa:
- 1 1/2 cups diced mango
- 1 1/2 cups diced pineapple
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1 tablespoon diced jalapeno
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- juice of 1 lime
- salt to taste
- 1 avocado, sliced
Instructions
- In a small bowl: add brown sugar, allspice, thyme, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, black pepper, minced jalapeno, garlic cloves, green onions, lime juice and olive oil. Stir to mix everything together set aside.
- Add JustBARE Chicken Breast to a large Ziploc. Pour the jerk spice blend to the Ziploc. Close the bag and massage jerk season into the chicken. Let the chicken rest and marinade for 15 minutes.
- Preheat grill to medium high heat, about 350-400 degrees F.
- In the meantime, in a sauce pan add rice, coconut milk and water. Stir. Bring a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce to low heat (simmer) and cook for 15 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and add the black. Let rest.
- In a medium bowl: add mango, pineapple, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice and salt to taste. Stir to mix everything together. Set aside.
- Add the jerk chicken to the grill. Grill each side for 5-6 minutes, until there is no more pink. Remove from grill let rest for 2 minutes and then slice.
- Assembly time: To each bowl evenly distribute coconut rice, sliced jerk chicken, mango pineapple salsa and sliced avocado.
- Devour!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 529
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 746 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
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