It is the rich rum-based marinade, sharpened by the bite of fresh lime, that gives this spicy chicken dish its distinctly Caribbean flavour.
Never marinate food in a metal dish. The acidic ingredients (lemon or lime juice, or vinegar, for example) will react with the metal and taint the food.
ingredients
serves 4
Grated rind and juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons dark rum
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 level teaspoons peeled and grated root ginger, or 1/4 level teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon hot red pepper sauce, or 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
4 boneless chicken breasts, each about 6 ounce, skinned
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
14 ounce tinned chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons molasses or black molasses
1 cinnamon stick
2 bananas and lime wedges to garnish
method
1. Mix together the lime rind and juice, rum, garlic, ginger and pepper sauce or Tabasco to make the marinade.
2. Lay the chicken breasts in one layer in a glass or china dish, coat with the marinade, cover and put in the refrigerator for about 8 hours. Turn the pieces over several times.
3. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry with a paper towel, reserving the marinade. Heat the oil in a skillet and brown the chicken in it over a high heat for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
4. Cook the onion in the pan for 5 minutes over a moderate heat, until softened. Pour the marinade into the pan and stir in the tomatoes, molasses or molasses and cinnamon stick.
5. Return the chicken to the pan and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked right through with no pink left in the middle.
6. Lift the chicken breasts onto a heated serving dish, cover and keep hot. Boil the sauce to thicken it. Remove the cinnamon stick, pour the sauce over the chicken and garnish with sliced banana and lime wedges.
more information
Rice and a green salad are good foils for this sweet and spicy chicken. You can marinate the chicken overnight if more convenient, turning the pieces night and morning.
