Caribbean Chicken with Spring Onion Sauce

As I think I have said before I have a hard time with chilli, if it's in a dish it's the only ingredient I can taste, so it just over powers a dish. I settled on buying chilli that came out a jar, I think they've been pickled, but anyway to me the heat is nothing like as intense as using a fresh one or chilli powder, but it does mean that when I want a little kick I don't get one!

Similarly I love the idea of Caribbean food, but I am aware that they like their food hot! I have a friend from Jamaica and when he cooks the smell of chilli/heat stays in the kitchen for hours! So I am always a little nervous of it. I found this recipe in Good Food Magazine, and on reading through it it didn't seem too bad, a little bit of chilli and some curry powder. I suspect this is a westernised version of Caribbean food though, as it wasn't too hot at all. It was delicious, and the lime juice and zest went really well with the heat of the curry on the chicken, and the rice and beans toned down the heat too.



Caribbean Chicken with Spring Onion Sauce (from Good Food Magazine June 2009)
(Serves 2)

4 skinless chicken thigh fillets, trimmed of all fat
1 tbsp curry powder
100g basmati rice
200g tin black or kidney beans , rinsed and drained

For the sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lime, juiced and zested
small bunch chives, chopped
6 spring onions, finely chopped
1 green chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Rub the chicken with the curry powder and season. Grill for 5 minutes each side. Cook the rice and warm the beans.

Combine the sauce ingredients (except the lime zest), season and mix in 2 tbsp of boiling water. Leave for 5 minutes and mix.

Mix the rice and beans together, top with chicken and pour over sauce. Sprinkle with lime zest to serve.