caribbean chicken recipe Archives

Here’s a quick and simple chicken dish I usually make during the cooler months when I can use the oven without overheating the entire house. During the summer months these marinated chicken pieces also make its way onto my outdoor grill. The key with this recipe is the spiced rub we marinate the chicken with for maximum Caribbean appeal. If you decide to rock these on your outdoor grill, I’d recommend cooking them on an indirect heat or you’ll risk burning the spices and you won’t like the outcome.

You’ll Need…

4-6 lbs chicken drumsticks
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2-3 tablespoon olive oil
zest 1 orange
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon dried chives
1 teaspoon dried pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Optional.. 1 teaspoon smoked (spicy) paprika

Important! If doing this recipe gluten free please go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Grate the orange zest into a small bowl. Tip: If the oranges you have access to is coated with wax (looks bright and shiny) , avoid using them for zesting – try to get an organic orange without any wax coating. Mix in all the other ingredients (except the chicken pieces) to form a moist rub.

Now go ahead and rub the chicken pieces with the rub (wear a gloves if you have sensitive skin.. the pepper flakes can cause issues), cover and place in the fridge to marinate for about 4 hours.

As your oven pre-heat to 400 F remove the seasoned chicken from the fridge and allow it to come back to room temperature. I used a wire rack on a baking sheet to roast these off. This will allow for the hot air to circulate around the chicken pieces and cook evenly. Try to place then on a single layer and with a bit of space between each. You may want to line your baking sheet with tin foil for easier clean up after (the sheet is to catch any drippings) and you can use some cooking spray or brush on some vegetable oil on your wire rack. If you don’t have a wire rack, use a tinfoil-lined baking tray brushed with some vegetable oil to prevent sticking.

At 400 F and on the middle rack of the oven, the chicken will take between 1 hour and 1 hr and 15 minutes. Depending on the size of your drumsticks.

While these are excellent done in the oven and outdoor grill, if you have a smoker.. that’s where you’ll really have some fun with this recipe. BTW this rub works great on ribs and other cuts of pork as well… and you’re not confined to only using the drumsticks of the chicken. If using thighs or breasts, do adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Are you following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram yet? Join in on the fun today!

Sofrito Pan Roasted Chicken Recipe.

May 27, 2025May 26, 20151 Comment

It’s only natural that after posting the Sofrito recipe a while back, I’d have a way for you to put such a classic ingredient to use. Sofrito is basically a seasoning base made in the Spanish speaking Caribbean which is added to enhance the overall flavor of meats, stews, soups and other dishes. In this recipe I’ll show you how simple it is to take something as boring as chicken breast and pan roast them on your stove-top for what I believe is the most juicy (and delicious) way to enjoy a part of the chicken notorious for being overly dry and bland.

You’ll need…

2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sofrito
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
pinch black pepper
1 birds eye pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon lemon juice

* same size chicken breast 1 lb each so they cook the same time

To learn how to make classic sofrito << Click To Watch!

Important : If doing this recipe gluten free, be sure to go through the complete list of ingredients (including the Sofrito) to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Season the chicken breast with the sofrito and black pepper, them marinate in the fridge for about 1 hour.

Using a non-stick pan (you’ll use less fat) on a low heat, add the butter and olive oil, then add the chicken breasts (it’s ok if the marinade gets in there).

Keep the heat on low as we want this to gently cook so it does not dry the chicken like leather. After about 4-5 minutes, flip the chicken, sprinkle on the salt, squeeze on the lemon juice and if you want, you can cover the pan with a lid. This will sort of steam cook the chicken. In my case I don’t like covering the pan. I also like to add the half of the lemon I got the juice from and 1 Birds Eye Pepper for a slight kick.. to the pan.

Depending on the thickness of your chicken breast, it will take between 20 and 25 minutes to fully cook through. If you add the pepper as I did try not to break it or it will release some fire (unless you want that raw heat) and do flip the pieces of chicken often so you get and even golden color on both sides.

Remove from the pan and allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing.

Such a simple recipe, but I assure you it’s packed with flavor and as I suggested above – VERY juicy! You can season the chicken with the very same sofrito and grill over coals (or propane) during the summer months when you have friends coming over! This is a great way to serve chicken on a salad or as a topping for a sandwich!

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Oven Roasted Chicken Drumsticks Recipe.

May 27, 2025March 18, 20154 Comments

Simple, Quick and Tasty! Three words which embodies this chicken recipe. I had a request on Twitter a while back asking for a simple but tasty way to do chicken in the oven on those weeknights when you want to eat well but not spend all night in the kitchen. Though I’ve shared several oven roasted chicken recipes in the past, I went into my personal repertoire, for one I do on the regular for my family. The flavor you get from that hint of ginger, allspice and the sweetness of the roasted peppers, will definitely have your family asking for seconds.

You’ll Need..

3 lbs chicken drumsticks (chicken wings work great as well)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (optional)
8-12 grape tomatoes
2 medium onions
1 bell pepper
2 scallions
pinch allspice
2-3 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon parsley
4 sprigs thyme
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/ teaspoon grated ginger
1 clove garlic

TIP! Optionally you can add a bit of 5 spice powder and sesame oil for a lovely Asian twist. IMPORTANT: If doing this recipe gluten free, do pay attention to the ingredient list (especially the Worcestershire sauce) to ensure it meets with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Chop the onion, bell pepper, parsley, tomato, scallions and scotch bonnet pepper. If you’re concerned about the heat of the scotch bonnet, you can leave it out or don’t include any of the seeds nor the white membrane surrounding the seeds. That’s where the raw heat will be.

Drizzle on 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in an oven proof dish, then go in with all the other ingredients (including the chicken) and toss well. Now go in with the remaining olive oil and mix well again. Place in the fridge to marinate for a couple hours. Or if you’re in a rush, you can put it immediately into a preheated 425 F oven (middle rack).

To protect your baking dish (less work to wash later) you can line it with tin foil. If you’re wondering.. I used the middle rack in the oven. Roast for about 45 mins and half way though, toss so all sides get that lovely golden finish. For more color you can turn on the ‘broil’ setting on the oven (about 550 F) the last 4-5 minus of cooking.

I used the thyme with the stems as I like getting as much flavor out of it.. if you do, remove the sprigs after roasting. If you want pan juices, you can always add about 1-2 cups of chicken stock at the start of roasting. To make this a one (pot) dish you can always add some potato wedges and carrots.. adjust the salt accordingly.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

The Simplest Oven Roasted Chicken Ever (recipe)!

May 27, 2025June 27, 20147 Comments

Oven roasted chicken (baked chicken as it’s sometimes called in the Caribbean) is infamous for being dry and somewhat bland. However in this recipe I’ll not only show you how simple it is to a make a moist oven roasted chicken, we’ll apply some Caribbean seasonings (herbs) which will definitely excite your taste buds. This recipe is based on the method of seasoning chicken as it’s normally done in the Caribbean for stews, curries and grilling.

You’ll Need…

1 4 lb chicken
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon Caribbean green seasoning
2 tablespoon olive oil

*Notes: To add a little kick to things, you can add some finely diced scotch bonnet pepper or a little peppersauce (hot sauce) to the marinade. Click on the following link for a recipe video on how to make Caribbean Green Seasoning: http://youtu.be/g7znPCJvhnU BTW, this is also a wonderful gluten free recipe idea.

If you’ve never spatchcock a chicken before , it’s very simple. Using kitchen scissors (or knife), place the whole bird on it’s breast (we sometimes say chest in the Caribbean) then using the scissors, remove the backbone off the chicken by cutting along each side of the middle main bone (see image below). Then turn over and gently press down on the breast to fatten the chicken. This method (spatchcock) will enable us to cook the chicken quicker and more evenly. Discard the back bone or save for soups and making stock.

Wash and pat the chicken dry, then in a bowl combine all the ingredients and give it a good mix.

Rub the entire chicken with this lovely Caribbean marinade and set in the fridge to marinate for a couple hours (cover with plastic wrap). Then place in a baking pan with a rack (if you don’t have a rack you can place on top some cut carrots, celery and onion) the idea is to allow heat to circulate around the chicken as it roasts. In my case I like adding about 1 cup of water to my pan as I find that it helps to keep the chicken moist as it roasts in the oven.

Heat your oven to 400 F and roast on the middle rack for about 50 minutes. Half way through roasting, turn your pan so it browns evenly. If you’re using my tip for adding water in the pan, you may need to add some more after about 30 minutes.

Allow the chicken to rest about 6-8 minutes (covered) before slicing through. I like placing the use lemon pieces in the roasting tray as it adds a lovely aroma as the chicken does it’s thing.

Without a doubt this will be one of the simplest roasted chickens you’ve ever made and quite honestly.. the tastiest. The marinade will add a lot of flavor to this chicken and I know your family and friends will be complimenting you on a job well done.

caribbean chicken recipe

Tasty Island Style Roasted Chicken Drumsticks.

Sofrito Pan Roasted Chicken Recipe.

Oven Roasted Chicken Drumsticks Recipe.

The Simplest Oven Roasted Chicken Ever (recipe)!

Log In