Description
Caribbean Guava Chicken is a combination of flavors. It is fruity, spicy, tangy, sticky, and mildly sweet. Guava chicken is the ultimate tropical chicken that I have tasted. It is perfect for baking at home or cooking outside on the grill. Whether you are making for just 2 to 4 people at home or making for a big event as an appetizer or main course, everyone will fall in love with this chicken!
Ingredients
To rub the chicken
Chicken – 2 lb.
Salt- 1 tsp
Lemon Juice- 2 Tbsp
Dried Oregano- 2 tsp
Red Chili Powder or Cayenne Pepper- 1 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder- 1 tsp
Garlic (powder or flakes)- 1 tsp
Oil- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp
For the sauce
Guava paste– 1/2 cup (break down into small pieces)
apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar- 1 Tbsp
Soy sauce- 1 Tbsp
Salt- as needed
Butter- 1 Tbsp
Water- 1/2 + 1/4 cup (more if needed)
Chili Flakes- 1 tsp
Tomato ketchup/paste- 1 Tbsp
Cilantro- 1/2 cup
Instructions
Method;
- Take 2 lb of chicken (chicken drumsticks) and make slits on the chicken so that the chicken can marinate well on the inside too.
- Add 1 tsp of salt, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp oregano, 1 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp garlic flakes, 1 Tbsp oil, and mix everything well.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Transfer the chicken to a baking tray. Make sure to arrange the chicken that it is not overlapping on one another. Drizzle the chicken with 1 tsp of oil—Bake at 450 F for 35 minutes. Flip the chicken halfway through the process so that the chicken can cook on both sides.
To make the guava sauce:
- Take 1/2 cup (5 oz) of guava paste in a bowl.
- Add 1 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, and some salt to taste.
- Add 1/4 cup of water and mash it with a fork.
- Turn the stove on to medium heat and place a 3-quart pan. Add 1 Tbsp of butter. Once it melts, add the prepared guava sauce. Add 1/2 cup of water so that the guava paste can dissolve into the sauce while cooking. Add 1 tsp chili flakes, 1 Tbsp tomato ketchup, and adjust the water if you need to.
- Cook the sauce for 8 minutes or until the sauce thickens inconsistency. It should almost look like store-bought sauce consistency.
Finishing Step:
- Add the baked chicken to the sauce. Mix the chicken well with the sauce for about 3 minutes. The sauce coats the chicken thoroughly.
- Garnish with cilantro (1/2 cup) and serve hot.
Notes
This recipe is inspired by a chicken dish that I tried at a restaurant in U.S Virgin Islands. Guava sauce was so typical in every restaurant there. As soon as I came home, I wanted to try so many recipes incorporating guava sauce. I made chicken wings and boneless chicken guava nuggets, but I like how the chicken drumsticks turned out. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! Please ask any questions you might have in the comments section. Thank you!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Chicken Appetizers
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Caribbean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 Chicken drumsticks
- Calories: 159 kcal
- Sugar: 2.43 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 5.17 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.547 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.576 g
- Trans Fat: 0.004 g
- Carbohydrates: 3.62 g
- Fiber: 0.6 g
- Protein: 23.57 g
- Cholesterol: 76 mg
Keywords: Caribbean Guava chicken, chicken appetizer, tropical chicken, easy baked chicken, fruit flavored chicken, guava barbeque sauce