Sweet and Spicy Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken

What a fantastic meal!  I've said it before, I love, love, love my Slow Cooker.  My kitchen smelled wonderful all day, and I couldn't wait for dinner time.  The smell was even sweet, yet spicy; cinnamon and nutmeg combined with molasses, and a hint of habanero added to the mix.  Make this once, and I guarantee you'll be making it time and time again!



Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 pounds bone in chicken thighs   
• 1/2 cup safflower oil
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoons all spice
• 1 teaspoons sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup molasses 
• 2 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (1/2 of a large orange equals about that much juice)
• 2 1/3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon jarred garlic
• 1 1/2 green onions
• 1/2 bunch cilantro 
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
• 1 habanero pepper (2 if you're daring)

Steps:

Heat the safflower oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

While the oil is heating, mix together the cinnamon, salt, all spice, and nutmeg into a medium sized bowl.

Add the chicken, and evenly coat the chicken thighs with the spices.

When the oil is hot, add the chicken to the skillet.  Be sure not to over crowd the pan.  I did 4 at a time.

Fry the chicken for 5 minutes on each side.  The chicken will not be completely cooked, but that is ok, because the slow cooker will cook the chicken the rest of the way.

While the chicken is frying.  Combine the lime juice, molasses, white vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce, pepper and garlic into a medium sized bowl.

Finely chop the green onions and cilantro, and add them to the liquid.

Chop the fresh ginger into large pieces, and add them to the mixture.

Cut the pepper in half, remove the seeds, and chop into into large pieces.

Add the pepper, and wisk the marinade until fully combined.

Remove the chicken from the pan, and set aside.

When the marinade is finished, arrange the chicken in the slow cooker.

Evenly pour the marinade over the chicken.

Set your slow cooker on low, and cook for 6-7 hours.

Turn the chicken over every couple of hours.

When the chicken is super tender, remove the chicken with a slotted spoon, and place the thighs on a cutting board, and allow them to cool.

While the chicken is cooling, pour the sauce into a Strainer over a medium sized bowl.

Pour the sauce back into the slow cooker, and set the heat to warm.

When the chicken is cool enough to be handled, with clean hands, pull the chicken from the bone.

Place the chicken back into the slow cooker, and stir to make sure the sauce evenly coats the chicken.

This would be an excellent meal to serve on game day, or to take to a pot luck to serve on some nice soft rolls.  Or serve at home with some rice and mango salsa for a perfect taste combo.