Jerk Chicken Lettuce Cups (Printer-friendly)

Spicy jerk-seasoned chicken served in crisp lettuce with mango salsa and coconut crema.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Jerk Chicken

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 2 tablespoons jerk seasoning
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Mango Salsa

06 - 1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
07 - 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
08 - 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
09 - 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
11 - Juice of 1 lime
12 - Pinch of salt

→ Coconut Crema

13 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt
14 - 2 tablespoons coconut milk
15 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
16 - 1/2 teaspoon honey, optional
17 - Pinch of salt

→ To Serve

18 - 8 large butter lettuce leaves or romaine hearts
19 - Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
20 - Lime wedges

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, combine chicken thighs, jerk seasoning, olive oil, lime juice, and salt. Toss well to coat all pieces evenly. Allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature.
02 - While chicken marinates, combine diced mango, red onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a separate bowl. Mix gently to combine and set aside.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, coconut milk, lime juice, honey if using, and salt until smooth and well combined. Transfer to refrigerator until ready to serve.
04 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add marinated chicken and cook, stirring frequently, for 6 to 8 minutes or until fully cooked through and lightly charred on edges. Remove from heat.
05 - Arrange lettuce leaves on a serving platter. Spoon jerk chicken into each leaf, top with mango salsa, and drizzle with coconut crema. Garnish with additional fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Exploding with a perfect balance of spicy, sweet, and tangy notes.
  • Quick and easy to prepare in just 45 minutes.
  • Naturally gluten-free and easily adapted for dairy-free diets.
02 -
  • Cut the chicken into small, uniform pieces to ensure they cook quickly and fit perfectly in the lettuce cups.
  • Pat the mango diced pieces dry if they are overly juicy to prevent the salsa from becoming too liquid.
  • Let the chicken marinate for up to 30 minutes if you have time for even deeper spice penetration.
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