Grilled West Indies Spice-Rubbed Chicken Breast
Submitted by Weezy
Grilled West Indies spice-rubbed chicken breast with curry, paprika, cumin, and cayenne, served with molasses-glazed grilled bananas. A Caribbean-inspired grill plate with bold heat and tropical sweetness.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
40 minREADY
3 hrsA Caribbean-inspired grilled chicken plate from the American-island fusion playbook. The dry rub is heavy on warm-spiced heat: curry powder, paprika, cumin, and cayenne combine into a crust that goes dark and deeply fragrant on the grill.
A 2-hour chilled rest lets the spices penetrate the meat and draw out just enough moisture to help build a proper crust. Skip the rest and the rub slides off in the grill heat. Grill over medium fire to give the spices time to toast without scorching: 7 to 8 minutes on the first side for that heavy crust, then 10 more after the flip.
The grilled banana side is what makes this plate. Firm (not overripe) bananas halved, brushed with oil, and grilled just until the cut sides go golden. Off the grill, a mix of butter and molasses gets painted on for a glossy, sweet counter to the fiery chicken. A squeeze of lime over everything wakes up both components.
Chef Tips
- Use firm bananas, not soft or spotted. Ripe bananas collapse into mush the moment they hit the grill.
- Dial back the cayenne by half if cooking for kids or heat-shy guests; the curry and paprika still carry the flavor.
- Don’t flip the chicken early. A well-set crust is what keeps the rub on the meat instead of on the grates.
- Rest the chicken 5 minutes before slicing so juices stay in the meat.
Variations
- Swap boneless breasts for bone-in, skin-on pieces for more flavor and moisture (add 8 to 10 minutes cook time).
- Try grilled pineapple or mango in place of bananas for a different tropical fruit.
- Serve over coconut rice or alongside a black bean salad for a full Caribbean plate.
Ingredients
Directions
Mix all the spices together well.
Rub this mixture over both sides of each chicken breast, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Over a medium fire, grill the chicken breasts skin side down for 7 to 8 minutes, until well browned and heavily crusted.
Turn them and grill an additional 10 minutes.
Check for doneness by nicking the largest breast at the fattest point: The meat should be fully opaque with no trace of red.
Remove the chicken from the grill.
Rub the banana halves with vegetable oil and place them on the grill flat side down.
Grill them for about 2 minutes, or until the flat sides are slightly golden in color.
Flip them and grill for an additional 2 minutes.
Remove the banana halves from the grill.
Mix the butter and molasses together and paint this over the bananas.
Serve the chicken breasts and the banana halves together, sprinkled with a little lime juice.
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