Tastes as good as it looks.

This jerk chicken is possibly the best thing I’ve ever made with my own two hands, so I wanted to share. It’s a great recipe for the slow start to spring we’ve been having in the Northeast. If it’s cold outside, you can leave the chicken whole or use the leftover jerk broth as a soup starter. If it’s warm outside you can shred the chicken and add it to tacos — like I did — then wash the whole thing down with a cold lemonade.

For the jerk chicken

• 2.5 lbs of chicken
• 1 large onion, sliced into wedges
• 1 lime, sliced into wedges
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/4 c. soy sauce
• 1 scotch bonnet chile, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 inches of fresh ginger, minced
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1/2 tbsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg

Get your slow cooker out and set it on low. Arrange the chicken pieces in the bottom. In a  bowl, muddle the brown sugar and a bit of warm water, enough to make a very thick syrup. Then whisk in the soy sauce, garlic, scotch bonnet, ginger, thyme, cinnamon and allspice. Pour 3/4 of that mixture over the chicken pieces, then arrange the onion and lime wedges so that the chicken can absorb their flavor during cooking.

After 4 hours, remove the chicken pieces from the slow cooker and arrange them in an iron skillet or other oven-safe pan. Pour the remaining jerk rub over the chicken breasts and broil for 5-10 minutes. Let the chicken cool, then tear into pieces.

For the tacos

• 4 corn tortillas
• 4 tsp. olive or canola oil
• 1 ripe avocado, pitted and quartered
• 2 tsp. mayo
• 4 sprigs of cilantro

Brush both sides of each tortilla with oil and fry on medium heat until golden. For a slightly healthier tortilla, warm in the oven for 10 minutes. Spread the mayo lightly over each tortilla and pile on chicken, 1/4 avocado and cilantro.

You *will* have chicken leftovers, so get creative!