Jamaican Jerk Chicken

I love surprises. Surprise gifts, surprise visits, surprise endings, surprise hugs. They give me that sense of awe and appreciation with the world and the people inhabiting it.

Although, culinary surprises can be both pleasant and devastating, even in those devastating 'mistakes' something is learned -- albeit, what not to do.

But, fortunately, this isn't one of those times. I am happy to report a most pleasant surprise came into being for dinner last night.

My only prior experience with Jamaican food came in the form of waitressing at a restaurant, where I could see and smell the effulgent spices soaked deep into the dishes as I moved them from kitchen to tabletop. It had never crossed my mind to try my own hand at them. That is, until I encountered the abundance of spices at the Rainbow Market, and when my eyes ran across the vibrant 'Jamaican Jerk seasoning,' I knew at first glance we would be friends.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

6 pieces of chicken (I used boneless, skinless breasts)

1 lime

1/4 c. rice vinegar

1/4 c. vermouth

1/2 c. olive oil

2-3 T. Jamaican Jerk seasoning

Liberally douse your chicken in lime juice and let rest about 5 minutes. Pour rice vinegar, vermouth, olive oil and seasoning into a large Ziploc bag. Place chicken inside and shake around until all pieces are well covered in marinade. Place in refrigerator for at least an hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place contents of Ziploc bag into a baking dish and cook for 30-45 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink in the middle.

Perfect over a bed of rice to soak up all the delicious juices.