Island-style barbecue with jerk chicken and sweet slaw

Chef Jamika shares recipes inspired by her Jamaican heritage and Southern childhood

Video: Grilling up island flavor: Barbecued jerk chicken

TODAY recipes

updated 6/18/2012 10:03:53 AM ET

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'Tis the season for a barbecue, but instead of falling into old routines, try taking your grilling to the next level with a dash of island flavor. It's all about bringing a Caribbean flare to some of your traditional barbecue favorites. Here, Chef Jamika offers her secrets for making barbecued jerk chicken, sweet pineapple slaw and ginger lemonade.

Recipe: Barbecued jerk chicken (on this page) Recipe: Sweet pineapple slaw (on this page) Recipe: Ginger lemonade (on this page)

Recipe: Barbecued jerk chicken

Recipe courtesy of Chef Jamika

Ingredients

For jerk spice seasoning:
1 teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
For chicken:
3 pounds chicken legs, thighs or wings
1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
2-3 scotch bonnet peppers, chopped or several dashes of habanero pepper sauce (optional)
2-3 cups of your favorite brand of barbecue sauce

Preparation

Mix 3 tablespoons of jerk spice mix with chicken, vinegar and peppers in a plastic bag. Refrigerate for 4 up to 24 hours.

Preheat grill to 250 to 350 degrees. Place chicken on grill and cook approximately 12 to 15 minutes per side or until chicken is cooked throughout.

For sauce, combine your favorite brand of barbecue sauce with 2 tablespoons of jerk spice seasoning. Spread sauce over chicken just as it is done on the grill.

Serving Size

Makes 4 to 6 servings

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Recipe: Sweet pineapple slaw

Recipe courtesy of Chef Jamika

Ingredients

For slaw:
16 ounces pre-shredded cole slaw mix
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded, diced small
2-3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 cup fresh pineapple, peeled, small diced
For dressing:
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
3 tablespoons of sugar
salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

In a large bowl, mix shredded slaw, red bell pepper, cilantro, and pineapple.

Pour dressing over slaw mixture.

Toss well to evenly coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and retoss. Serve and enjoy.

Serving Size

Makes 4 to 6 servings

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Recipe: Ginger lemonade

Recipe courtesy of Chef Jamika

Ingredients

1 (2-3 ounce) piece of fresh ginger
4 cups water, divided
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 lime, juiced
1 cup sugar
1 liter club soda
ice

Preparation

Roughly chop ginger into pieces and toss into blender with 2 cups of water. Blend on high speed until well-blended.

Using a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer, squeeze all juice out of ginger pulp. Pour liquid into a pitcher. Add juices and sugar and top off with club soda. Serve chilled over ice.