Bajan-Style Lime & Allspice Chicken

It turns chicken, bell pepper, lime, garlic, yogurt, cucumber, and rice into one contained dinner instead of a shopping project. Most of the work is mixing and oven time, which suits a tired weeknight, while the allspice-lime profile tastes distinctly different from the usual chicken dinner.

• Allspice: Warm, peppery berry spice essential to the profile. Find it at Walmart, Safeway, Whole Foods, or H Mart. Substitute a pinch each of cinnamon, clove, and black pepper only if necessary; it is not identical.
• Fresh thyme: Safeway, Whole Foods, Walmart, and H Mart commonly carry it. Use 1 teaspoon dried thyme if fresh is unavailable.
• Scotch bonnet or habanero: Caribbean-style chile heat. Use only a thin slice, remove it before serving, or replace with a pinch of cayenne. For my son's portion, keep chile out of the main marinade and add adult heat at the table.
• Angostura-style aromatic bitters: Optional but excellent in the rum punch/fizz; check Safeway, Whole Foods, or a liquor store. Omit if unavailable.

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment or lightly oil it.
2. Zest one lime, then juice both limes. Thinly slice the red onion and bell pepper. Mince or grate the garlic. If using fresh chile, cut a very small piece; wash hands afterward.
3. In a bowl, combine lime zest, 3 tablespoons lime juice, garlic, thyme leaves, allspice, ¾ teaspoon salt, black pepper, brown sugar/honey, olive oil, and chile if using. Add chicken and coat well. Marinate 20–30 minutes if convenient; cook immediately if not.
4. Toss onion and bell pepper with a pinch of salt and a little oil on one side of the sheet pan. Put chicken on the other side, leaving space between pieces.
5. Rinse the rice. Start it with 1½ cups water and a pinch of salt according to package directions, usually covered at a low simmer for 15–18 minutes, then rested 5 minutes.
6. For the cooling side, dice or grate cucumber. Stir with Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon lime juice, a pinch of salt, and optional parsley/cilantro. Refrigerate until serving.

1. Roast chicken and vegetables for 25 minutes.
2. Stir the vegetables and check the chicken. Continue roasting 5–10 minutes until the thickest part of chicken reaches 165°F and the edges have browned. If desired, broil for 1–2 minutes at the end, watching closely.
3. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Taste the pan vegetables; add a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt if needed.
4. Fluff the rice. Slice the chicken or leave the thighs whole.

Spoon rice into shallow bowls, add chicken and roasted onion/pepper, then give everyone a dollop of cucumber-yogurt sauce and a lime wedge. Serve my son's portion before adding any adult chile or hot sauce. Leftovers keep refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat gently in the microwave or a covered skillet; use them in a next-day rice bowl or wrap.