Quick and Easy Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Don’t you think it can be so boring to eat the same foods day after day?

When you’re trying to eat healthy or lose weight, it can be even more challenging.  The inescapable reality is that in order to lose weight and to maintain our weight loss, there are certain food guidelines by which we must abide– forever.  Our best chance for success is to keep it fresh.  One way I have found to alleviate the boredom is to use spices!  This recipe is one of my favorites, and it’s so simple.  Before I go into it, I want to share a little tip with you.  I am a huge fan of RedBird chicken.  It is the most juicy and tender chicken around.  It’s local to us here in Denver, and while it’s not certified organic, it’s pretty darn close!  King Soopers periodically has them on a buy one, get one free sale.  It’s a great deal, and I can buy a good quality chicken breast for $3.50 per pound.

And now for this EASY Jamaican Jerk recipe:

Yield: makes 2 servings

Difficulty:  Easy

Ingredients:

-1 teaspoon ground allspice

-1 teaspoon ground cumin

-1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (can modify amount based on heat preference)

-1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

-1/2 teaspoon of sea salt

-1 pound of skinless boneless chicken breast

There are 2 ways you can do this.  You can mix the spices in a bowl and make a dry rub.  Or mix it with a tablespoon or so of water or 1-2 tsp of olive or grapeseed oil and make it into a paste.  Then coat both sides of each chicken breast with the spices.

Preheat grill to medium high heat.  Grill for 7-9 minutes per side or until cooked through and juices run clear.  In the winter I bake the chicken at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Add your 2 cups of veggies, and you’ve got a great Ideal Protein Phase 1, 2, or 3 dinner!

This recipe was adapted from a Jamaican Jerk Salmon recipe.  It is also delicious on salmon.  Check out the link for a great Ideal Protein Phase 4 dinner option using this same recipe.

Enjoy!