Taste the Islands Jerk Chicken Salad

WizzyTheStick's Note:

Take your taste buds on a Caribbean holiday with this salad that is bursting with flavour! The chicken can be made ahead so that this salad comes together in a flash for a light dinner. My personal preference is Walkerswood jerk rub but if you can't access it, Jamaican Jerk Marinade is also quite good.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 lb boneless chicken strips (you can use chicken breasts but I prefer the dark more succulent meat of the legs and thighs.)
• 2 teaspoons walkerswood hot and spicy jamaican jerk spice (2 tsp is the amount recommended but I put 2 to 3 tbp. It's to your taste.)
• ¼ tablespoon canola oil
• ¼ cup cooking butter
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (or regular vinegar if that's all you have on hand)
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh culantro (or 2 tablespoons cilantro)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 dash fresh coarse ground black pepper
• 6 cups torn lettuce
• 8 cherry tomatoes (halved or quartered)
• ½ medium avocado , pitted peeled and coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. The chicken can be done the day before.
2. Rub legs and thighs with butter and jerk seasonings. Marinate for 1/2 hr or overnight. Grill or roast in 375°F oven for 45 mins to an hour or until chicken is no longer pink when pierced with a fork. Baste chicken with butter throughout cooking process.
3. In a screw top jar, combine 1/4 cup oil, lime juice, culantro (or sub cilantro, vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and dash black pepper. Cover and shake well to make the dressing.
4. Arrange on lettuce on 4 salad plates. Top with chicken, tomatoes, and avocado. Drizzle with dressing.

Reviews

[lindseylcw]

We really loved this, I made it with a shop bought jerk rub but will try your recipe next time. Used to live next door to Jamaicans in London and this tasted very like the lovely food they would kindly share with me.

[rickoholic83]

I liked this salad. The chicken was nice and spicy, which I love, and the dressing was different from anything else I have tried. I think some sliced cucumber, bell peppers and a mild cheese would be a great addition to the salad. I also think some minced garlic would give the dressing a little "kick." Thanks for posting, de Roche. :)

[Cookgirl]

Used my homemade jerk seasoning for this recipe. Colorful and delicious. Made me think of a warm, tropical beach not my current reality: fog, rain and cold temps. (Wish we had shadon beni here.) It's sounds yummy. cg