Recipe review: Jerk Chicken with rice, black beans, and pineapple

I improvised a lot on this one. I realized that I had forgotten to buy pineapple, plus the sauce tasted too acidic to me when I followed the recipe. After the chicken was cooked, I threw two chopped apples and a handful of sliced scallions into the pan and cooked until the apples were soft. I also poured about 1/8-1/4 of a cup additional jerk sauce into the mix.


The end result was good. Larry said he liked it and gave it an 8 out of 10. I agree and will definitely make this again in my improvised style. :)

Jerk Chicken with Rice, Black Beans, and Pineapple

1 cup long-grain white rice
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup spiced rum or orange juice
2 tablespoons jerk sauce (such as Pickapeppa Sauce)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
8 ounces fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bunch scallions, sliced

Cook the rice according to the package directions.

Combine the vinegar, rum, jerk sauce, and ginger in a measuring cup or small bowl; set aside.

Pound the chicken to an even thickness. Season it with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from heat and add the vinegar mixture. Return the skillet to low heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes.Divide the chicken and sauce among plates.

Stir the beans into the rice. In a medium bowl, combine the pineapple and scallions. Serve both with the chicken.

Tip: The chili peppers in jerk sauce shouldn't overwhelm the other ingredients. Taste yours before adding it to a dish. If the sauce is too spicy, cut the amount you use in the recipe by half.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 542(10% from fat); FAT 6g (sat 1g); SUGAR 7g; PROTEIN 40g; CHOLESTEROL 66mg; SODIUM 357mg; FIBER 11g; CARBOHYDRATE 73g

Source: Real Simple, February 2008