Jerk Chicken with Cool Pineapple Salsa (CEiMB)

I am leaving for San Diego tomorrow and I won't be home for the Craving Ellie in My Belly recipe that I chose for our group, so I decided to make it early. I also needed something for dinner tonight, and I thought why not kill two proverbial birds with one stone. See, I am always thinking!!! I am going to leave the commentary short, because I have a ton of packing to do and I am still feeling kinda crappy overall. Procrastination has always been my strong suit!!!

Jerk Chicken with Cool Pineapple Salsa (CEiMB)
2007, Ellie Krieger, All rights reserved

Ingredients:
For the salsa:
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 cup finely diced pineapple
1/3 cup finely diced, seeded English cucumber
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
For the chicken:
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, about 5 ounces each, pounded to 1/2-inch thick
1 cup chopped scallions (about 6 scallions)
1/2 Scotch bonnet or habanero chile pepper, seeded and finely minced (wear gloves when handling)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, or 1/4 teaspoon ground
1 teaspoon allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice

Directions:
For the salsa:
In a small bowl whisk together the honey and the lime juice. Combine the pineapple, cucumber and mint in a medium bowl, pour the dressing over and toss to combine. Set aside.

For the chicken:
Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for about 4 minutes on each side, or until browned and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the pan. Stir in the scallions, pepper, garlic, ginger, allspice, and thyme. Cook for 30 seconds over a medium heat. Add the chicken broth and soy sauce and cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Stir in the lime juice. Put the chicken back in the pan and coat well with the sauce.

Serve with the pineapple salsa.

Yield: 4 servings (1 serving is 1 chicken breast, 2 tablespoons of sauce and 1/3 cup of salsa)





The Result:
I thought this dish was good, but my husband was not crazy about it. He is a hater of all things cucumber, so it was hard to convince him that the dish was good. I liked the complex blend of flavors...sweet, spicy, savory. My husband is more of a fan of clean flavors, so again not a winner for him. Honestly, his personal preference is not to mix spicy/sweet combinations, and he is not a fan of fruit and meat together either. Picky, picky! I love all those little complex tidbits of taste, so this dish was most satisfying for me. I served this dish with a side of some broad green beans and a small baked potato. Yum! Despite the mixed reviews from my family members, I liked this dish a lot and thought it had an interesting punch.