Roasted Island Jerk Chicken

I really wanted to serve Jerk Chicken, but the arrival time of our wayfaring passthrough traveling family members was uncertain.  And I did not want to spend time in front of the grill, instead of in front of them, during their quick overnight sojourn along their travels. Normally I would want to grill Jerk Chicken, but thought otherwise.

So I figured that the most important part of Jerk Chicken is the marinade and the marinating time.  I took care of that handsomely the night before, and then set the oven to roasting temperature, as soon as they called an hour away.  Lay a bed of diced tomatoes and rest the chicken on top.  Toss in the oven and everything's set for their arrival.

This dish is like a good old dog.  It can easily wait around for a weary traveller!

1 roaster chicken, cut into 10 serving pieces
1 28-oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained well, juice reserved for another use

Jerk Marinade:
3 cloves garlic
1-inch fresh ginger
3 green onion, coarsely chopped
1 jalapeño pepper
juice of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lime
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1/2cup olive oil
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried), chopped
1 tsp Kosher salt
generous freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp freshly shaved nutmeg
1 tsp allspice

Toss the garlic, onion, ginger and pepper into a small food processor and pulse to a fine grind. Whisk this mixture together with the remaining jerk marinade ingredients in a small bowl.

Place the chicken pieces in a large zip-lock plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Marinate at least an hour, or most preferably, overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 425F.

Bring the marinated chicken to room temperature. Spread the drained tomato dice evenly in an oiled roasting pan. Lay the marinated chicken pieces on top of the tomatoes, and drizzle the remaining marinade on top.

Roast the chicken for about 30-45 minutes, until the chicken is browned nicely and juices run clear at the tip of a knife.

Serves 4-6.