DOWN ISLAND CHICKEN WITH CORN MADELEINES

In case it rains on your jerk chicken barbecue, here’s an oven-roasted alternative with the same great flavor combos from the islands.  Mixing tropical fruit flavors with warm spices and dark molasses will have your kitchen fragrant and warm—-and give you the great taste of island chicken.  Use ingredient amounts to your taste.  This is good with a basket of corn madeleines: use your favorite corn bread recipe, or an 8.5 oz boxed mix, and add kernels from ½ ear of cooked corn (microwave unhusked ear of corn for 3-4 min, let cool—husk and cut kernels from cob).  Or use a small muffin tin in place of madeleine molds. 

1 whole chicken, cut up

Allspice

Garlic and onion powders

Cayenne—or your choice of heat!

Salt and pepper

2 tblsp molasses

Lime juice—use juice from 1 lime for sauce and cut up another lime to roast

Orange juice concentrate (or marmalade)

Broth

Mix a generous amount of all the dry spices—mix half with 2 tblsp vegetable oil.  Thoroughly rub chicken parts with mixture and let sit uncovered for a little while, or overnight in fridge.  Put the remaining dry spice mixture in sauce pan, along with remaining ingredients, to make about 1 ½ cup liquids.  Boil to reduce a little and thicken—then finish with a little butter.  Roast marinated chicken and lime pieces at 375’ until almost done.  Mop chicken pieces generously with reduced sauce and continue roasting until done—165’ on meat thermometer.  Spread remaining sauce on serving platter and lay chicken on top.

The Kitchen Hive