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Jerk-Inspired Chicken and Onions

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Makes 4 servings 1x

Time 30 minutes

In How to Cook Everything Fast, recipe directions are separated into “prep” and “cook.” Here, we’ve made that distinction with italics for prep-work and plain text for cooking. This reflects the most efficient order and timing of tasks.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/2 inch fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoons good-quality vegetable oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 large onions
  • 6 to 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds)

Instructions

  1. Turn the broiler to high; put the rack 6 inches from the heat.
  2. Peel 1 clove garlic and 1/2 inch ginger; chop them together. Put them in a small bowl.
  3. Add 1 teaspoon dried thyme to the bowl along with 1 teaspoon ground allspice, 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 1 teaspoon sugar, 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir into a paste.
  4. Trim, peel, halve, and slice the onions thickly.
  5. Put the onions and chicken thighs on separate halves of a rimmed baking sheet. Rub the spice paste on everything, starting with the onions. (Getting your hands messy is the best way.) Spread everything in a single layer.
  6. Broil, turning the chicken once and tossing the onions occasionally, until the chicken is browned and cooked through and the onions are browned and tender, 10 to 15 minutes total. Serve the chicken and onions together, hot or at room temperature.

— Recipe from How to Cook Everything Fast

Recipe variations

Chicken and Scallions with Five-Spice Powder Substitute 2 tablespoons five-spice powder for the thyme, allspice, paprika, cayenne, and sugar, and 2 bunches scallions (trimmed only) for the onions.

Chicken and Onions with Za’atar Substitute 2 tablespoons za’atar for the thyme, allspice, paprika, cayenne, and sugar. Use olive oil instead of vegetable oil.

Lemon-Pepper Chicken and Onions Use 1 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon zest and lots of black pepper instead of the thyme, allspice, paprika, cayenne, and sugar. Use olive oil instead of vegetable oil.