chicken recipe Archives | Page 2 of 2

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!

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.

Meat & Poultry

Kickin Grilled Orange Chicken.

May 27, 2025July 9, 201413 Comments

I do hope you’re enjoying this year’s installment of July’s Month Of Grilling as I am. The heat, smoke and raw flame of the grill excites me. Maybe it brings out the primitive instincts in me (caveman)? I’m a huge fan of the orange chicken you’ll find at Chinese restaurants… battered chicken pieces fried then tossed in that sticky orange sauce. With that in mind, you’ll find similar flavors is the grilled orange chicken version, but a more clean tasting and with a slight kick from the scotch bonnet pepper.

You’ll Need…
3 lbs chicken thighs (drums work well too)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 scallions
2 sprigs thyme
1 cup orange concentrate
1 cup tomato ketchup
2 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 lime (juice and zest)
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper diced fine.
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Note: Remember to wear gloves when handling scotch bonnet peppers and do wash your hands with soap immediately after. Don’t include any seeds as that’s were the true heat is. If you don’t have scotch bonnet pepper you can use about 1/2 teaspoon of your fav peppersauce (hot sauce).

Trim the chicken pieces of excess fat and skin. I opted to remove the skin, but in all honesty grilling with the skin on makes for juicer chicken pieces. Wash the chicken pieces and drain dry. Then season with the finely chopped scallions (green onion or spring onion), salt, black pepper and thyme. Let that sit for about 15 minutes.

It’s now time to prepare that lovely sticky orange bbq sauce we’ll be finishing the grilling with. In a medium sauce pan on medium/low heat add all the other ingredients and bring to a boil. Whisk well, then reduce to a gentle simmer and let it reduce for about 10-15 minutes on that low heat (keep whisking often). Remove off the heat and you can reserve 1/2 the sauce for making chicken wings or pork tenderloin (store in the fridge). Or you can certainly double up on the chicken and use all of the sauce. BTW this orange bbq sauce makes a great dipping sauce for chicken strips/nuggets.

Let’s now get to the grilling part. Basically all you have to do is the grill the chicken as you would normally do, and the last five minutes is when you’ll bring that orange bbq sauce into use. My grill was at about 375-400 F and I grilled for about 20-25 minutes remembering to flip the pieces of chicken every 5 minutes or so.

The cooked chicken pieces is then tossed in the orange bbq sauce, then placed back on the grill to caramelize and get nice and sticky.

For an extra kick of flavor grill some lime or lemon wedges and allow your guests to squeeze on some of that lovely citrus juice as they dig into what I believe is the best orange glazed bbq (grilled) chicken.

If you don’t have a grill or simply wish to do this indoor in your oven, place the seasoned chicken pieces (leave the skin on) on a lined baking tray, skin side down and roast for 15 minutes at 375F. Flip over and cook another 12 minutes (more time for bigger pieces) . Then toss in the orange bbq sauce and place back in the oven under the broil setting for a few minutes. Keep an eye on it as the high heat from broiling and the sugars from the bbq sauce can cause it to char quickly.

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.

Meat & Poultry

Caribbean Stewed Chicken With Red Beans Recipe.

May 27, 2025January 8, 201432 Comments

This recipe is one of my favorite dishes to prepare when I’m homesick or when things are not going well and I need a pick-me-up! It combines two dishes I just adore, Trinidad stew chicken and stewed red beans. Two things mom would cook on Sunday’s when the entire family were together… pure joy! It works well as a side to rice, roti, dumplings, ground provisions.. even pasta! And if you want you can add some coconut dumplings the last 10 minutes of cooking and make it a true one pot meal.

You’ll Need

3 Lbs Chicken (I like using drum sticks)
1 scallion (chopped)
1 onion (diced)
3 cloves garlic (diced)
1 teaspoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated ginger
3 sprigs thyme
3 drops worcheshire sauce
1 small tomato (chopped)
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
2 cups water
1 can red kidney beans (rinsed/drained)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon veg oil

Wash and season the chicken with all the ingredients except, the water, beans, sugar and oil. Allow this to marinate for about 2 hrs or 15 minutes if you’re in a rush. Remember to wash your hands with soap and water after handling the scotch bonnet pepper and don’t include any of the seeds if you’re concerned about the raw heat.

Heat the oil in a deep pan on med/high, then add the sugar and stir well. Be sure to use a dry metal spoon and have the seasoned chicken close. This will all about timing for the ultimate flavor and color. As the sugar melts it will go liquid, then frothy and start changing color. Let it go until you have a rich amber color (NOT BLACK or it will taste burnt), then start adding the pieces of seasoned chicken to the pot. Mix as you do to coat the chicken pieces with the lovely caramelized colour. Don’t worry it won’t be sweet! Place the lid on the pot, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 5-8 minutes. It will spring it’s own juices.

Now remove the lid and turn up the heat to burn off any liquid. This will intensify the color and flavor of the chicken. As this cooks down, add the 2 cups of water to the bowl you had the chicken marinating in (to pick up any remaining marinade) and rinse off the red beans.

With all the liquid gone from the pot, add the water and top with the beans, then bring to a boil. Lid closed, simmer for 20 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked.

After 20 minutes or so, taste for salt and adjust accordingly and if you find that the gravy is a bit ‘thin’ turn up the heat (lid off) and reduce to the consistency you like. Personally I like it a bit thick. Remember that it will thicken up a bit as it cools.

This is a very comforting dish, packed with rich Caribbean flavors and it’s something your family will be asking for on the regular.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. Oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Meat & Poultry

Apple Mango Chicken Salad.

May 27, 2025February 25, 20135 Comments

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m no fan of chicken breast or “white meat”, so this recipe came about out of the necessity to use that part of the chicken after having roasted chicken for dinner. Now we purposely buy chicken breast, as this apple mango chicken salad is simply outstanding and it’s one of the few dishes I make which EVERYONE eats! Cooking for teenagers can be a bit tricky at times.

With most things I prepare I like to bring a bit of the “island” into it, so the addition of the ripe mango and pinch of curry powder, was only natural.

You’ll Need…

1/2 cup cubed mango
3 cups shredded chicken (cooked.. I used oven roasted)
3/4 cup mayo
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced red onion
3/4 teaspoon prepared mustard
pinch salt
pinch black pepper
1/2 cup diced apple
1 teaspoon lemon juice
pinch curry powder

Notes: Try to get a mango that’s about 90% ripe, so it’s firm and will be easy to dice and handle in general, without falling apart. If you don’t have a red onion, any sweet or mild onion will work. The idea is not to have karate breath after eating this.

Wash, peel and dice the mango.. you’ll need about 1/2 of a large mango. No need to peel the apple as the skin will give it some extra texture, but do pour the lemon juice over the diced apple to prevent it from going discoloured. Dice the celery and onion a bit smaller than the apple and mango.

All you have to do now is basically assemble. With the chicken in a deep bowl (shredded), place the other ingredients and give it a good mix.

There’s enough here to make about 5-8 sandwiches (depending on how generous you are) and I would recommend chilling it in the fridge for about 30 minutes before using. It can keep for about 2 days in the fridge, but you may notice that some liquid may form in the container. Just give it a good stir and you’re good to go. If you’re daring be sure to add some pepper sauce or some finely chopped scotch bonnet pepper for that extra kick!

Don’t forget to get some nice crunchy lettuce and the key to a fabulous sandwich is getting the right bread.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Simple Oven BBQ Chicken.

May 27, 2025May 2, 201237 Comments

After posting the pics of bbq chicken I made in the oven on the Facebook Fan Page a couple weeks back.. you won’t believe the number of emails and phone calls I got asking for the recipe (there were eve some smoke signals originating from Detroit way asking for the recipe). Though not a recipe you’d associate with the Caribbean, I thought I’d still share this simple bbq chicken in the oven recipe, with you all. This recipe is so simple, we’re not even making the bbq sauce. However don’t let it’s simplicity have you fooled into thinking it will lack in flavor or originality.

You’ll Need….

1 chicken (4-5 lbs)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1-2 cups bbq sauce (your fav)
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Juice of 1 lime or lemon for washing the chicken.

IMPORTANT : Be sure to use a gluten free bbq sauce to make this dish comply to a gluten free diet.

* Optional, but you can add some pepper sauce or freshly cut scotch bonnet pepper in the mix to give it a wicked kick!

I’m good at taking apart a chicken, so cutting it into four pieces was not a problem. You can always ask your butcher or use chicken parts for this recipe. If you’re worried about the white meat going dry, rest assured that it won. It will be the most moist, tender and juicy chicken breast you’ll ever have (that’s not brined). In a future episode on the Food FAQ cooking channel I’ll show you how to take apart a whole chicken.

You’ll be tempted to remove the skin from the chicken, but do leave it on. However, do trim off the fat and excess skin. Having the skin on, is one of the key things to having tender and moist bbq chicken in the oven. Wash the chicken pieces with lemon juice and rinse with cool water. Pat dry and get ready to season

In a small bowl or plate, mix the salt, black pepper, cinnamon, dry mustard, allspice and fresh thyme, then work it on all the pieces of chicken. I know my Caribbean friends are probably saying that this is not fully seasoned, but trust me. Be sure to coat both sides of the chicken.

With your oven set at 375 F, place the baking dish with the seasoned chicken on the middle rack and let cook for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes, tip the baking dish and spoon out any liquid/fat from the bottom of the dish (discard). In the picture you’ll notice that I lined the dish with foil to make the clean-up easier when I’m done. We need to get rid of all liquid as we want the bbq sauce to really stick to the pieces of chicken for that gooey goodness. Using your favorite store BBQ sauce, baste the chicken pieces and place back in the oven for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, turn the pieces of chicken over and give this side a nice coat of that BBQ sauce and back into the oven for another 10 minutes.

It’s time to flip it over again and give it a final coat of that luscious BBQ sauce. Be generous as we want this to sort of caramelize and form a sticky coating over the pieces of chicken. Back in the oven for 10 minutes. The last 3 minutes I turned on the broiler and got the perfect color on my BBQ chicken.

With the lovely scent of the cinnamon, allspice and fresh thyme, your kitchen will smell like heaven. I used (my Canadian friends will know it) Diana’s Honey Garlic sauce, so with the addition of the honey and garlic flavor, this BBQ Chicken was unreal. By cooking with a low heat, the fact that we kept the skin on and the basting with the BBQ sauce, the chicken was simply amazing. Nothing dry and tasteless here.. but then, when would I ever give you a crappy recipe?

I do hope you guys give this version of BBQ chicken a test drive, as I’m sure the results will be very pleasing to your taste buds.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Meat & Poultry

Succulent herb and lemon roasted chicken.

May 27, 2025May 26, 200938 Comments

herb-roasted-chicken Though roasting is usually reserved for the oven, this one can also be prepared on the BBQ. Providing you know how to control the heat on your grill. I’m still to test it on the rotisserie gizmo I have for our grill, but I’m sure it’ll be just as delicious. I’ll probably get the neighbors peeping over the fence when the aroma hits them! Remember that old cereal commercial with the toucan..”follow your nose”? Toucan Sam was his name I think.

Warning! Speaking about “following your nose” be sure that your family is not at home while you cook this up. During the roasting time, the entire house will be filled with the amazing fragrance of herb, lemon and garlic. You’ll get tired of hearing “how much longer before we eat?”.

You’ll need…

1 Chicken (about 4 to 5 lbs)
1/4 tea spoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 bunch of fresh thyme (about 6 sprigs)
1/2 medium onion (cut in chunks)
3 cloves of garlic (slightly crushed)
1 teaspoon butter
1/4 cup water or chicken stock
1 lemon

herb-lemon-chicken

Let’s start by preheating the oven to 450 F, while we prepare the chicken for roasting. Wash and pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Then slightly crush the garlic (leave skin on if you wish), wash the thyme ( I got mine fresh from the garden, so I had to wash off the dirt), peel and cut the onion into 1/4 pieces and cut the lemon into quarters.

caribbean-herb-roasted-chicken

With the chicken “neck side” down – so you’re able to access the cavity, start by squeezing the lemon. Allow the juice to go into the cavity, then stuff with the garlic, onion, thyme and the lemon pieces that you just used the juice. The final step is to sprinkle the entire chicken with the salt, pepper and paprika. Then with your fingers, rub the butter on the breast and legs (basically the top side). Place the chicken in a roasting pan, with the breast side up so it’s resting on it’s back and place in the now hot oven. Add the water or chicken stock to the bottom of the pan to prevent any burning until the chicken starts to release it’s own oils and juices. Please keep the temp at 450 for about 20 minutes, then reduce to 375 and cook for another 1 hour and 10 minutes.

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After cooking for the remaining hour and 10 minutes, you may find that it’s not as golden brown as you’d like. Feel free to turn on the broil setting in your oven and cook for another 5 minutes or so or until you achieve the golden colour you desire.

herb-lemon-roast-chicken

roast-chicken-herb

Note: During the entire cooking process I had the lid placed on my roasting pan. However when it came time for the broil setting, I did remove the lid. When your chicken is done roasting, do remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for about 10-15 minutes before you carve it. This will allow the meat to rest and prevent the meat from going dry.

When you “rest” the cooked chicken do have it covered so it remains warm and does not dry off as it’s exposed.

I’d love to hear from you. Please leave me a comment in the comment box below.

chicken recipe

Sofrito Pan Roasted Chicken Recipe.

Oven Roasted Chicken Drumsticks Recipe.

Kickin Grilled Orange Chicken.

The Simplest Oven Roasted Chicken Ever (recipe)!

Caribbean Stewed Chicken With Red Beans Recipe.

Apple Mango Chicken Salad.

Simple Oven BBQ Chicken.

Succulent herb and lemon roasted chicken.

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