Friday, June 20, 2025

Caribbean Cooking on a Budget | 12 Irresistible Dishes Under $12

 

1. Jamaican Jerk Chicken with Coconut Rice



  • Dollar Tree Finds: Jerk seasoning, coconut milk, white rice

  • Gourmet Twist: Finish with lime juice and chopped scallions

  • Ingredients: Chicken thighs, jerk seasoning, coconut milk, white rice, lime, scallions

  • Instructions: Marinate chicken in jerk seasoning. Cook rice in coconut milk until fluffy. Grill or bake chicken and serve over rice. Garnish with lime juice and scallions.

2. Trinidadian Doubles (Curried Chickpeas with Bara Bread)



  • Dollar Tree Finds: Canned chickpeas, curry powder, flour, yeast, turmeric

  • Gourmet Twist: Add tamarind chutney and cucumber chutney

  • Ingredients: Chickpeas, curry powder, flour, yeast, turmeric, tamarind paste, cucumber, vinegar

  • Instructions: Cook chickpeas in curry sauce. Mix dough using flour, turmeric, and yeast; let rise and fry as small rounds. Assemble with curried chickpeas and chutneys.

3. Bahamian Cracked Fish Sandwiches



  • Dollar Tree Finds: Cornmeal, flour, hot sauce, sandwich rolls, seasonings

  • Gourmet Twist: Add pickled onions and homemade tartar sauce

  • Ingredients: White fish fillets (tilapia or pollock), flour, cornmeal, seasonings, sandwich rolls, onion, vinegar, mayo, relish

  • Instructions: Dredge fish in seasoned cornmeal and flour, then fry. Toast sandwich rolls, top fish with tartar sauce and quick-pickled onions.

4. Caribbean Curry Chicken with Rice and Peas



  • Dollar Tree Finds: Curry powder, coconut milk, canned kidney beans, garlic, onion, thyme

  • Gourmet Twist: Add Scotch bonnet or habanero for bold island flavor

  • Ingredients: Chicken legs, curry powder, garlic, onion, thyme, kidney beans, coconut milk, white rice

  • Instructions: Brown seasoned chicken. Add curry powder, onion, and garlic. Simmer with water until tender. Cook rice with kidney beans and coconut milk.

5. Haitian Epis-Marinated Chicken with Fried Plantains



  • Dollar Tree Finds: Garlic, bell peppers, vinegar, herbs

  • Gourmet Twist: Serve with spicy Haitian slaw (pikliz)

  • Ingredients: Chicken quarters, bell peppers, garlic, onion, vinegar, parsley, plantains

  • Instructions: Blend epis marinade. Coat chicken and bake. Peel and slice plantains, fry until golden. Serve with homemade pikliz (shredded cabbage, carrot, vinegar, chili).

6. Puerto Rican Mofongo with Garlic Shrimp



  • Dollar Tree Finds: Garlic, oil, pork rinds

  • Gourmet Twist: Drizzle with garlic butter and sprinkle with parsley

  • Ingredients: Plantains, garlic, pork rinds, shrimp, butter, parsley

  • Instructions: Fry plantains. Mash with pork rinds and garlic. Sauté shrimp in garlic butter. Form mofongo into balls and top with shrimp.

7. Cuban Black Beans & Yellow Rice with Fried Egg



  • Dollar Tree Finds: Canned black beans, yellow rice mix, eggs

  • Gourmet Twist: Add sliced avocado and red pepper flakes

  • Ingredients: Black beans, yellow rice, eggs, avocado, red pepper flakes

  • Instructions: Cook yellow rice. Warm beans with garlic and onion. Fry egg sunny-side-up. Serve over rice with beans, topped with avocado and pepper flakes.

8. Coconut Curry Lentils with Sweet Potato



  • Dollar Tree Finds: Lentils, coconut milk, curry powder, onion, garlic

  • Gourmet Twist: Serve with naan and a lime wedge

  • Ingredients: Lentils, coconut milk, curry powder, garlic, onion, sweet potato

  • Instructions: Sauté aromatics. Add curry powder, diced sweet potato, lentils, and coconut milk. Simmer until lentils are soft. Serve with lime wedge.

9. Dominican Pollo Guisado (Braised Chicken Stew)



  • Dollar Tree Finds: Tomato sauce, peppers, sazon, onion

  • Gourmet Twist: Add green olives and capers for saltiness

  • Ingredients: Chicken drumsticks, tomato sauce, green bell peppers, sazon packet, onion, olives, capers

  • Instructions: Brown chicken. Add onion, bell pepper, tomato sauce, and seasonings. Simmer with water until tender. Stir in olives and capers before serving.

10. Pineapple BBQ Chicken Skewers with Island Slaw



  • Dollar Tree Finds: Pineapple chunks, BBQ sauce, coleslaw mix

  • Gourmet Twist: Grill the skewers and toss the slaw with honey-lime dressing

  • Ingredients: Chicken breast, pineapple chunks, BBQ sauce, shredded coleslaw mix, honey, lime

  • Instructions: Skewer chicken and pineapple. Grill or bake with BBQ glaze. Mix coleslaw with honey and lime juice. Serve together.

11. Caribbean Beef Patties with Spiced Sweet Potato Wedges





  • Dollar Tree Finds: Ground beef, onion, garlic, sweet potatoes, biscuit dough

  • Gourmet Twist: Add allspice and hot pepper flakes

  • Ingredients: Ground beef, onion, garlic, allspice, biscuit or pastry dough, sweet potatoes

  • Instructions: Cook beef with seasonings. Fill dough with meat mixture and bake. Slice sweet potatoes, season, and roast until crisp-tender.

12. Island Corn Fritters with Spicy Mango Dipping Sauce



  • Dollar Tree Finds: Canned corn, flour, egg, mango preserves, hot sauce

  • Gourmet Twist: Add lime zest and cilantro to the batter

  • Ingredients: Canned corn, flour, egg, mango preserves, hot sauce, cilantro, lime

  • Instructions: Mix corn, egg, flour, and seasonings. Fry spoonfuls in oil. Mix mango preserves with hot sauce and lime juice for dip.

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