Get on up, it's jerk chicken time. My first Caribbean dish had to be this Jamaican classic. This recipe came from African Bites (https://www.africanbites.com/jerk-chicken/). To be completely honest, it almost killed me. I am not exaggerating. Scotch Bonnet peppers are not for the faint of heart. My Caucasian ass taste buds were not ready. In hindsight, I should have realized this was going to be unbelievably hot when I cut up the peppers, washed my hands, rubbed my eyes, and my eyes were burning. Literally could not finish the chicken, even thought it was SO GOOD. Ben and I were fighting for our lives at the dinner table.
Despite our mouths going completely numb and Ben saying to not make this again, I am going to make it again. The homemade jerk rub for this recipe is amazing and so versatile. The Scotch bonnets? Those will remain dormant in the freezer for a while until I gather the courage to face them again. Jalapenos will be tagging in at the pepper of choice next time. One thing I really wish I had was a grill. Oven baking and broiling just didn't have the same effect. There is something about the taste of grilled chicken that just cannot be recreated without one.
So, what did I learn? 1) Scotch bonnet peppers are in fact assassins. @Ubisoft, I found the next protagonist Assassin's Creed. 2) Caribbean flavours are absolutely immaculate and I cannot wait for another food challenge in Caribbean cuisine.
