Jerk Chicken

I'm not sure why we choose grilling recipes when it's gross out. Cloudy, windy, cold and supposed to rain/snow this evening yet The Spouse says he wants jerk chicken.

Ah well. It's worth it! I think I've posted this recipe before, but as part of a menu. So here it is on it's own.

Jerk Chicken

2 habanero peppers, stem and seeds removed
4 green onions, white parts only
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 whole chicken, cut up

Combine the first 9 ingredients (thru black pepper) in a small food processor and blend until smooth.

Rinse chicken, pat dry. Place chicken in a ziplock bag and pour spice mixture over it. Toss to coat and place in fridge. Let marinade several hours.

Heat grill to 400. Place chicken on the grill, skin side up. Grill chicken for 30-40 minutes or until done (instant read thermometer should read 180 when stuck into the thickest portion of the breast), removing smaller pieces as necessary. To crips skin, grill skin-side down for the final 5 minutes of cooking.

Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo

We're watching my nephews this week while my brother and sister-in-law are out of town. On Wednesday I asked what they'd like for dinner the next night. The response was "Something with Carbs." Which I find odd because that night we'd had braised ribs with gravy bread and the night before there was cornbread, so it's not like we're All Protein, All The Time. The other nephew suggested alfredo.

So I spent the day trolling about for a reduced-fat version of Alfredo sauce and found this one by Cooking Light. Unfortunately, while chopping up my fresh frozen broccoli, I discovered that the batch had been corrupted by cabbage worms, so broccoli was out. Also, not having ricotta on hand, I subbed in low-fat cottage cheese.

Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo

olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
salt & pepper

2 tbsp butter (I use earth balance)
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups fat-free milk
2/3 cup (2 1/2 ounces) low-fat cottage cheese, pureed until smooth (I used the Fiber One brand)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

8 ounces uncooked pasta

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting any fat or salt.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and warm thru. Add minced garlic and sautee until fragarant, about 1 minute. Add chicken to skillet, season lightly with salt and pepper. Sautee until chicken is done, about 8 minutes. Remove from skillet and keep warm.

Deglace skillet with water.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook 15 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Stir in cheeses, salt, and pepper, and cook 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Reduce heat to low. Stir in chicken and heat 5 minutes until chicken is warmed thru.

Place cooked pasta in a bowl, pour sauce and chicken over. Toss the pasta until well coated. Serve immediately.

Wine Pairing: A crisp italian pinot grigio.