Honey Jerk Chicken Skewers w/ Fried Plantain

Method

• Prep:

  Start by cutting your chicken thighs into one inch pieces. Add them to a bowl with the jerk seasoning, jerk marinade, chicken bouillon, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Mix everything together well and let it marinate for at least 45 minutes. Overnight in the fridge is even better if you have the time, because the flavor gets that much deeper.

  While the chicken is marinating, soak your wooden skewers in water so they do not burn during cooking.

  Skewers:

  Once the chicken is marinated, thread the pieces onto the skewers packing them close together. Place the skewers in your air fryer at 375 degrees and cook for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.

  While the chicken is in the air fryer, melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add in the jerk seasoning, brown sugar, honey and soy sauce and let it simmer until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

  With about 5 minutes left on the air fryer, pull the skewers out and brush the honey jerk glaze generously over the chicken. Pop them back in to finish cooking. That glaze is going to caramelize slightly and give you the most incredible sticky coating on the outside.

  Fried Plantain:

  Peel your ripe yellow plantains and slice them into bite sized pieces on a slight diagonal. Heat a shallow layer of oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry the plantains in batches until they are golden and caramelized on each side, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from the oil and immediately hit them with a pinch of salt while they are still hot.

  Plate the skewers with the fried plantains on the side and dig in.

•  

  TIPS AND TRICKS:

  -Marinating overnight is always going to give you the best result. The jerk seasoning and marinade really need time to penetrate the chicken and when you give it that extra time the flavor goes all the way through every single piece.

  -Soaking your wooden skewers for at least 30 minutes before cooking is important. Dry skewers can catch and burn in the air fryer especially at the ends, so keep them submerged until you are ready to thread the chicken.

  -Pack the chicken pieces close together on the skewer. This keeps the pieces from drying out during cooking and gives you that juicy tender bite throughout.

  -Make sure your plantains are ripe and yellow before frying. The riper they are the sweeter and more caramelized they will get in the oil. A green plantain is going to give you a completely different result that does not pair as well with the sweet and spicy chicken.

  -Salt the plantains immediately after they come out of the oil while they are still hot. That is when the salt sticks best and brings out the natural sweetness of the plantain.

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  WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS:

  -White rice is a natural pairing here and soaks up any of that leftover honey jerk glaze on the plate beautifully.

  -The fried plantains are already part of this meal, but if you want to go all out a side of rice and peas takes this plate in a full Caribbean direction.

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  FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

  Can I grill these skewers instead of using an air fryer?

  Absolutely and they will come out incredible on the grill. Cook them over medium heat, turning every few minutes to get an even char on all sides. Brush the glaze on in the last few minutes just like the air fryer method and let it caramelize over the heat. Keep a close eye on them since the honey and sugar in the glaze can burn quickly over an open flame.

  Can I use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs?

  You can, but chicken thighs are the better choice for skewers. They stay juicy and tender through the marinade and cooking process while chicken breast can dry out faster, especially in the air fryer. If you go with breast, just pull them off at 155 to 158 degrees internally and let them rest. They will carry over to 165 on their own and stay much juicier than if you cook them all the way to 165 in the air fryer.

  How long should I marinate the chicken?

  At minimum 45 minutes, but overnight is where the magic really happens. If you are short on time 45 minutes will still give you great flavor. If you can plan ahead and marinate the night before the difference is very noticeable.

  Can I use green plantains instead of ripe ones?

  Green plantains will give you a completely different result. They are starchy and savory rather than sweet and will not caramelize the same way in the oil. For this recipe you want yellow ripe plantains for that natural sweetness that pairs so well with the honey jerk chicken.

  How do I know when the plantains are done?

  You are looking for a deep golden color on each side with slightly caramelized edges. They should look glossy and feel tender when you press them gently. If they are still pale they need more time. The natural sugars in the ripe plantain will give them a beautiful golden finish when they are ready.