Grilled Chicken Bahama Style

This is a damn good chicken recipe for the grill, how ever you can also bake it in the oven and still get good results. I like to serve this up with a Bahama style rice with black eyed peas which I will I will also give the recipe for.

• 3 1/2 to 4 lbs chicken, legs and thighs are best for this one, but breasts come out pretty good too.
• 1 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 to 2 Scotch Bonnet peppers, thinly sliced. Scotch Bonnets are really hot, but are delicious in flavor. If you can not handle their heat, you could omit them or use a milder pepper.
• 3 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
•  2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper

1. Rinse the chicken, blot dry and then place in a non reactive bowl or in a gallon size freezer bag and then pour in the lime juice. Ensure the chicken is thoroughly coated and let it marinate at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Pour off the lime juice and add the onion, garlic, chili, thyme,oil, paprika, salt and pepper. Mix it up so that all pieces get coated. Place in the refrigerator and let marinate for 1 to 2 hours.
3. Get that fire going in your grill. Personally, I think a good hardwood charcoal is the best as a gas grill does not impart the same flavor profile.
4. Once your charcoal is ready, scrape the onion, garlic and chili peppers off the chicken and cook first over direct heat for about 3 to 5 minutes and then finish with indirect heat by placing the chicken to the side of the hot coals.

Bahama Rice and Black Eyed Peas

• 4 strips bacon, cut into 1/4 inch slivers
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 to 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 5 1/2 cups water
• 3 cups long grain rice
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 cups cooked black eyed peas

1. Cook the bacon over medium heat in a large pot until browned. Pour off all but 2 tbsp of the fat. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, basil, thyme, salt and black pepper and cook until the onion is slightly browned.Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes.
2. Add the 5 1/2 cups of water to the pot and bring to a boil . Stir in the rice and lime juice and return to boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly and cook until the rice is tender, about 15 to 18 minutes. Once the rice is done, stir in the black eyed peas and serve up with the chicken.