This is the perfect comfort food, for those days when you want a Nando’s but don’t want to leave the house. Inspired by the food I ate at the restaurant ‘Turtle Bay,’ this is my recipe for jerk chicken. The perfect sides are sweet potato fries and coleslaw- for both I have made a ‘skinny’ healthier version. Traditionally, this is served with rice ‘n’ peas.

Ingredients: (serves 4)

For the jerk chicken:

• 8 chicken thighs (skin off and boneless)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

For the jerk sauce:

• 8 spring onions
• 2 tbsp dry thyme (or fresh if you have)
• 1 tbsp ground clove
• 2 tbsp ground mixed spice
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 6 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 chillies (or less if you don’t want it spicy)
• 6 cloves of garlic
• the juice of 1 lime
• 1 stock cube (chicken if you have)

For the skinny coleslaw:

• Handful red cabbage, shredded
• 1 red onion, sliced
• Half a cucumber, shredded
• 3 carrots, made into ribbons using a vegetable peeler
• 2 tbsp low fat garlic mayo
• 7 tbsp low fat greek style yoghurt
• 1/2 tsp english mustard

Recipe for the sweet potato fries

Method:

1. Throw all the jerk sauce ingredients into a blender or food processor with some water, and blend until smooth. Add some salt and pepper.
2. Pour the sauce over the chicken and leave to marinade for a minimum of 30 mins or ideally overnight. Whilst the chicken is sitting in the marinade, you can make the sweet potato fries and coleslaw.
3. Put the coconut oil in a frying pan on high heat. Add the chicken to the pan. Cook for 10 minutes, turning the chicken every so often. You want the chicken to blacken on the bottom, and the sauce to reduce.
4. Pour a little water into the pan, and add a lid onto the pan. Cook for a further 5 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked.
5. For the coleslaw, mix all the ingredients together and season.Serve with the sweet potato fries. Enjoy!