What a jerk!

Jamaican Jerk Chicken with Pineapple Salsa

I hate those recipes that only disclose the recipe for half of what it pictured on the plate, so I will confess that the rice here is straight out of a box.  It is Far East brand Rice Pilaf and it is all natural, tasty, and fast. The veggies are just sugar snap beans with sliced carrots that were quickly sauteed over medium-high heat with sesame oil and ginger that was left over from the chicken.

So on to the main attraction. The salsa was a hit with my kids (although I can't say the same for the veggies), and the chicken is excellent for nights where cooking for 3 hours is just not on the agenda.

The sauce for the chicken is a rendition of an Ellie Kreiger recipe, but personally, I like it better this way because it is loaded with flavor without venturing near the salt or pepper.

Recipe:

Salsa:
1 seeded, diced cucumber
1 cup diced, fresh pineapple
2 tbl chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tbl honey

Just mix all of these together in a bowl and set them aside. To save time, do this while the chicken is cooking.

Chicken:
Brown chicken breasts in a pan with 2 tsp olive oil.

Sauce:
1 tsp olive oil (or whatever oil you prefer)
2 shallots, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 tbl fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon fresh or 1/2 tsp dry thyme
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth (organic if possible)
1 tbl low-sodium soy sauce
3 tbl fresh lime juice

You can use mint sprigs or lime zest for garnish if you want.

For the sauce, heat 1 tsp of oil in a skillet over medium heat, then add all of the ingredients on the list down to the thyme. Allow these things to sautee for about a minute, stirring occasionally, then add the liquid ingredients and simmer until the sauce has reduced to about half of the liquid content.  Serve the chicken on top of a lake of sauce, top with the sauce, and add a generous serving of the salsa and enjoy.  This dish is a good one for being creative with the presentation, so dress it up however you want.