Haitian Chicken
How to make incredibly delicious Haitian chicken with bold Caribbean flavors, tender chicken drumsticks, spicy habanero peppers, and rich Haitian epis marinade. A comforting and flavorful dinner recipe.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours 55 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Haitian
Ingredients
Chicken
2 lb chicken drumsticks
1 lime, juiced (reserve juice and lime skins)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
1–3 habanero peppers, sliced (deseeded for less heat if preferred)
1 red bell pepper, sliced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth (low sodium preferred)
Salt, to taste
Marinade Ingredients
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 bouillon cube (Maggi preferred)
⅓ cup Haitian epis
1 tablespoon Adobo seasoning (Goya preferred)
Instructions
Clean the Chicken
Remove as much skin from the drumsticks as possible. Make small cuts in the meat to help the marinade absorb better.
Rub the chicken with the reserved lime skins after juicing the lime. Keep the lime juice for later.
Place the chicken in a bowl and pour hot water over it for about 45 seconds. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Marinate the Chicken
Add the Haitian epis, black pepper, bouillon cube, Adobo seasoning, reserved lime juice, and lime skins to the cleaned chicken.
Mix thoroughly until the chicken is fully coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. For best flavor, marinate for 5–6 hours.
Cook the Chicken
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat.
Add the chicken along with all marinade contents, including the lime skins. Brown the chicken on all sides.
Add the chicken broth, diced onion, habanero peppers, sliced red bell pepper, and tomato paste. Stir well to combine.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30–45 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and fully cooked.
Taste and adjust salt if needed.
Serve hot with Haitian rice and beans, fried plantains, or your favorite side dishes.
Notes
Habanero peppers add significant heat, so adjust the amount according to your spice preference.
Deseeding the peppers will make the dish milder.
Cleaning the chicken with lime and hot water is a traditional Haitian cooking method that enhances flavor.
Haitian epis is a flavorful green seasoning blend commonly used in Haitian cuisine.
This dish tastes even better after marinating overnight.
Find it online: https://elladishes.com/haitian-chicken/
