These delectable chicken skewers bring spice, heat and smoke in every bite

One of the most memorable meals I've ever had was jerk chicken served in a foam takeout container. While vacationing in the Cayman Islands, I got a tip about a woman who sold meals that she'd make in her home kitchen and that her son would deliver. Her food was famously good, and her specialty was jerk chicken - I called her right away.

A friendly young man with a sparkling smile brought the food to our designated meeting spot - a dock with a shaded picnic table and a mesmerizing view of the sea. Boy did that meal live up to its promise! When I opened the clamshell container, I was swept away by the aroma of the smoky, marinated chicken, and each bite of tender meat, with its earthy, spicy, savory flavors, drew me in further. Each meal came with a large, sweet cucumber drink - a kind of cucumber-ade - to quench the heat from the food and the sun.

I can only dream of matching the craft that went into that meal, but this recipe is certainly a good jumping-off point. It applies the wonder of a jerk marinade to chunks of boneless chicken, which are skewered, grilled and served alongside a cooling cucumber salsa.

A food processor or blender does most of the work in making the marinade, a puree of aromatics - onion, garlic and ginger - herbs and spices such as thyme, allspice and nutmeg. Soy sauce, lime juice, oil and chiles provide umami, brightness, fat and heat. Scotch bonnet peppers are traditional in jerk preparations, but if you can't find them, habaneros make a good substitute. The two chiles used in this recipe result in a medium heat, but feel free to adjust to your taste. Because the chicken is boneless, it needs only a 2-hour marinade, but it will taste even better if you can let it soak longer, up to 12 hours.

Once grilled, the chicken becomes aromatic, appealingly charred on the outside and tender on the inside. Served with a cucumber salsa that's sweetened with juicy red grapes and a touch of honey to offset the tingling heat of the chicken, it's an enticing, healthful meal that instantly transports me back to that Caribbean dock.

Jerk Chicken Skewers With Cucumber-Grape Salsa

SERVINGS: 4 (makes 8 skewers and 2 cups salsa)
TOTAL TIME: 40 mins, plus 2 hours marinating time

These delectable chicken skewers, bold with the spicy flavors of a jerk marinade, get a cooling counterbalance from a cucumber-grape salsa served alongside. The amount of hot peppers called for here delivers a medium level of spiciness; use more or less to adjust to your preference. To make this recipe go faster, prep the ingredients while soaking the skewers.

Storage: Refrigerate the skewers for up to 4 days, and the salsa for up to 1 day.

Make ahead: The chicken needs to marinate for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours before cooking. If using wooden skewers, they need to be soaked in water for at least 20 minutes.

• 1 small yellow onion (5 ounces), coarsely chopped

• 2 Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, or to taste (see headnote), seeded

• 3 garlic cloves

• 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, coarsely chopped

• 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as avocado or canola, divided, plus more as needed

• 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes), divided

• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey, divided

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon fine salt, divided

• 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

• 1 cup (5 1/4 ounces) seedless red grapes

• 1 medium English cucumber (9 ounces), seeded and finely diced (1 1/4 cups)

• 3 tablespoons finely diced red onion

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

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STEPS

In a food processor or mini (personal) food blender, combine the yellow onion, Scotch bonnet peppers, ginger, 2 tablespoons of the oil, 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, the soy sauce, thyme, 1 tablespoon of the honey, the allspice, nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper, and process until smooth.

In a medium bowl, combine the chicken with the onion mixture, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.

When ready to cook, if using wooden skewers, soak 8 of them in water for at least 20 minutes.

Chop the grapes to the size of the cucumber dice, then transfer to a medium bowl. Add the cucumber and red onion, and stir until combined. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, 1 teaspoon of honey and 1/8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the cucumber mixture and toss to combine. If not using right away, refrigerate until needed. Right before serving, stir in the cilantro.

Set a large sheet pan near your workspace. Thread 4 pieces of the chicken onto the skewers, transferring them to the sheet pan as you work.

Set a grill pan over medium-high heat until hot. Brush with oil and, working in batches as needed to avoid overcrowding, add the chicken skewers. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the chicken is nicely browned and cooked through, and grill marks form, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Serve warm, with the salsa alongside.

Substitutions: Fresh thyme >> 2 teaspoons dried leaves. Chicken >> pork or tofu, with an adjustment to the cooking time. Grapes >> peaches, nectarines, plums or pineapple. Cilantro >> parsley or mint. Honey >> maple syrup or agave. Yellow or red onion >> other types of onion, or shallot. Gluten-free? >> Use gluten-free tamari instead of the soy sauce. Dislike heat? >> Reduce the peppers; use a milder variety, such as jalapeƱo or serrano; or omit.

Variations: To cook the skewers on the grill, prepare the grill for direct heat. If using a gas grill, set it to 450 degrees. If using a charcoal grill, fill a chimney starter with charcoal, light it, and when the coals are white-gray with ash, pour them onto the charcoal grate, adding more charcoal, if necessary. Put the lid on the grill, making sure the vents are fully open. When all of the coals are gray and hot, about 15 minutes, your grill should be at medium-high heat. (Use a grill thermometer, or test the heat by holding your hand, palm down, about 4 inches from the grate, making sure that nothing flammable, such as clothing, is near the heat. If you can hold it there for about 4 seconds, the heat should be at medium, or about 450 degrees. Pull your hand away from the heat before it gets painful.) Make sure the cooking grates are clean, then use tongs to dip a folded paper towel in cooking oil and lightly apply a thin layer of it all over the grill grates. Add the chicken skewers, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the chicken is nicely browned and cooked through, and grill marks form, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

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