Keto Low-Carb Caribbean chicken has a delicious jerk seasoning.  I like to prepare this dish on a regular basis. Lots of punch and flavour without the carbs!

After co-hosting a national TV show about wine and food, I produced my own TV pilot celebrating food and wine called “Whatever!” The crew and I filmed one segment in Jamaica. We were in a bus winding through country roads on our way back to the hotel from Tuff Gong Studio, where I interviewed Ziggy Marley about his Rastafarian diet.  We noticed a large sign at the side of the road stating, “Jerk Chicken.” We felt famished. Having started our day at 6 am with no lunch, we all needed to eat. I asked the bus driver to pull to the side of the road. I excitedly jumped off the bus. The Jerk chicken man had a hole dug into the ground, covered by palm leaves to retain the hole’s smoke. He removed the leaves. I spotted chicken pieces cooking on the grill. He burned fresh pimento leaves underneath the grill, adding flavour to the jerk seasoning. I cannot even express the unique and spicy smell of the grilling chicken. It was the best Jerk chicken I had ever tasted. I still think of this memory today when I made Jerk Chicken at home either on the grill or in the oven.  

WHAT IS THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF KETO LOW-CARB CARIBBEAN CHICKEN?

For this Keto Low-Carb Caribbean Chicken dish I like to use leg quarters. They offer a fabulous amount of protein.  About 100 grams each of drumstick and thigh equals 54 grams of protein.  Chicken legs also provide a plethora of minerals and vitamins that our body requires, such as providing significant amounts of selenium and phosphorus, and B12. Selenium supports the function of your thyroid gland and protects your blood vessels from damage. Phosphorus also helps control enzyme activity, and it makes up a component of your cell membranes and DNA.  B12 promotes healthy cell metabolism. 

This recipe also uses fresh Scotch Bonnet peppers. These little flavour bombs contribute more than just heat to your recipe. Scotch bonnets are a valuable source of vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin B, as well as iron, niacin, riboflavin, and magnesium. They are also high in dietary fiber, phytochemicals, carotenoids, and flavonoids.

Just as Italian tomato sauce has as many recipes as Italians, so does jerk seasonings. I like this version because I always have pumpkin spice in my cupboard as I make many pumpkin pies and muffins. This jerk seasoning is cheaper to make and is just as tasty, in my opinion!

WHAT IS THE TASTE PROFILE OF KETO LOW-CARB CARIBBEAN CHICKEN?  

This Keto Low-Carb Caribbean Chicken dish celebrates 4 out of the 5 taste sensations of sweetness (from the sweetener), saltiness (from coconut aminos), tanginess (from the lime juice), and bitterness (from the fresh ginger). The dish also offers lovely chemo sensory sensations, such as heat from the scotch bonnet peppers and spiciness from the pumpkin spice, both of which tantalize the taste buds.

WHAT WINE HARMONIZES WITH KETO LOW-CARB CARIBBEAN CHICKEN?

Keto Low-Carb Caribbean Chicken is usually too hot and spicy to pair with wine.  But if you choose to sip wine you have a couple of options:

1. Drink whatever wine you like (as long as it’s bone dry) and don’t worry about pairing the wine to dish. Enjoy your wine the way you like it. 
2. If you like to create harmony between the wine and the food, you’ll need some sweetness in the wine to offset the heat and spice.  Add a pinch of stevia or monk fruit sweetener to your glass of wine.  Choose a white like Riesling or Gewurztraminer or a pink rose. These varieties taste great when bone dry or sweet.  So they taste great with the added sweetener.  The wine’s sweetness will nicely offset the heat and spice.
3. Or reduce the heat and spice. 

*Wine Tips: To support your Keto diet or low-carb lifestyle, choose low-carb, low-sugar, and low-alcohol wines that are free of additives and artificial coloring.  Include your wine carb macros as part of your meal.  Remember, your liver will process alcohol before nutrients, pausing ketone creation and slowing the ketosis process. Your body will also metabolize alcohol as fuel before using food. This can slow fat burning and may cause your body to store carbs, fat, and protein as excess body fat.  Alcohol consumption also stimulates the appetite.  So, drink low-sugar, low-carb, and low alcohol wines in moderation.

WHAT OTHER KETO LOW-CARB HEALTHY HEART RECIPES CAN I ENJOY?

Keto Low-Carb BLT Tart (Heart Healthy)

Keto Low-Carb Cajun Salmon (Heart Healthy)

Keto Low-Carb Mama Meatloaf (Heart Healthy)

Keto Low-Carb Steak Marinade (Heart Healthy)

Keto Low-Carb Cinnamon Marmalade Chicken (Heart Healthy)

WHAT IS SHARI MAC’S PRODUCT RECOMMENDATION FOR YOUR KETO LOW-CARB DIET?

I’m a huge fan of the Ninja products. In the past, I’ve gone through a counter-top convection oven every couple of years. This Ninja 1800-watt oven is a work horse! It is a must for me to support my Keto diet. Since buying this Ninja I have not turned on my oven in months! Amazing in the summer! No heat in the kitchen from the traditional oven. I use the air-fryer for all our proteins every day. All my air-fried favorites have less bad saturated fat and therefore fewer calories. I cut chicken breasts in half, horizontally, and air-fry them for 20 minutes. You can set the temperature and timer for all sorts of foods and walk away from the kitchen. The machine will shut off automatically at the right time. My proteins are crispy on the outside and super juicy

HOW DO YOU PREPARE KETO LOW-CARB CARIBBEAN CHICKEN?

To prepare Keto Low-Carb Caribbean Chicken get all your ingredients ready. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Set chicken on parchment in oven-proof pan. Bake at 350 F until juices run clear and chicken is cooked.

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