Jerk-Spiced Chicken Thighs with Cool Cabbage Slaw

Oven-roasted chicken thighs wear a jerk paste of allspice, scallion, thyme, and fiery habanero, paired with cool lime cabbage slaw. It recalls Smoke Under Pimento Leaves, when Maroon camps in Jamaica’s cockpit ridges cooked meat that would keep without signaling the valley.

Serves 4

Every recipe here is free to read.

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
• 2 tbsp ground allspice
• 6 scallions
• 6 garlic cloves
• 8 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 habanero peppers
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 head green cabbage
• 1 lime
• 3 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. 1Preheat oven to 400°F and line a sheet pan with foil.
2. 2In a mortar or food processor combine scallions, garlic, thyme, habanero, allspice, brown sugar, salt, and olive oil into a coarse paste.
3. 3Rub the jerk paste thoroughly under and over the skin of the chicken thighs.
4. 4Place thighs skin-side up on the prepared pan and roast 35-40 minutes until skin is crisp and internal temperature reaches 175°F.
5. 5While the chicken cooks, thinly slice the cabbage and toss with juice from the lime, remaining olive oil, and salt to make the cool slaw.
6. 6Rest the chicken 5 minutes then serve two thighs per plate with a generous mound of slaw.