Table Talk

Grand Opening February 1st!

After many long days and nights, we are excited to finally announce our grand opening!

We will be officially opening our doors for pickup orders via our website on Monday, February 1, 2021. Our hours will be from 2 PM to 8 PM CST with pickup available beginning at 4 PM CST.

You can place your order, prepay online, then schedule your pickup time. Pickup takes place at the rear of our shared kitchen space in The Hatchery at the corner of Albany and Maypole. Look for all the curbside pickup signage. The exact address of the pickup location is 3101 W Lake St, Chicago, IL 60612 in the Humboldt Park community of Chicago.

You can start placing orders beginning today an use the “Order Ahead” feature on our menu to schedule up to 3 days in advance. Just some of the delicious items available include our authentic Jamaican Jerk Chicken and signature Cocoa Chili.

We will also have a Caribbean Salmon with Mango Salsa dish that you’ll want to try as soon as possible. And don’t forget about the Yassa Poulet which is a traditional meal from Senegal.

For catering orders, please submit an inquiry on the contact page.

Cocoa Chili Restaurant team prepping for grand opening day

We will also be kicking off our new business with a special segment on ABC 7 Chicago Midday News this Monday, February 1st around 11:45 AM CST. Make sure to tune in.

Remember, we are still raising funds through our crowdfunding campaign on iFundWomen. Any contribution you make helps our 100% black- and woman-owned business achieve our mission to expose our community to unique, sustainably-sourced, educational foodie experiences that increase awareness and access to opportunities to improve the lives of those whom we serve.

We are so excited to finally announce our grand opening. We look forward to serving you our delicious Afro-Caribbean-Soul fanfare with a sweet and spicy flair!

Support our Crowdfunding Campaign

Please consider a contribution to our iFundWomen crowdfunding campaign. Any support you can provide is greatly appreciated!

We are raising money to offset our startup costs so we can spend more time and attention building up our Table Talk empowerment series to achieve our mission to expose our community to unique, sustainably-sourced, educational foodie experiences that increase awareness and access to opportunities to improve the lives of those whom we serve.

iFundWomen is a crowdfunding campaign platform that offers immediate access to capital through a premium online fundraising experience, access to small business grants from corporate partners, expert business coaching on all the topics entrepreneurs need to know about, and a network of women business owners that sparks confidence, accelerates knowledge and ignites action.

Opening during a global pandemic meant that it has been a lot more challenging to secure the financing we needed to fully operate as we intended. We chose iFundWomen’s platform to assist us in our fundraising efforts because of its focus on women entrepreneurs.

Crowdfunding is a really cool way to raise funds and increase awareness around your brand while at the same time giving your customers what they want. Here are just a few of the cool perks we are offering when you support our 100% black- and woman-owned small business…

  • $5 off coupon for your next order
  • 2-oz jar of Cocoa Chili Spice Blend
  • 12-oz or 16-oz jars of Spicy Jerk Sauce & Marinade
  • Personal Chef Home Dining Experience
  • Catering Parties
  • And more!
Click to learn more about our crowdfunding campaign on iFundWomen

Thank you in advance for your continued support. Any amount, no matter how big or small, goes a long way towards realizing our vision to diminish the effects of exclusion amongst the disadvantaged populations we serve.

Did you already contribute and have questions? No problem. Just visit our contact page to submit an inquiry.

Thank you again!

~Chef Niquenya

Staple Foods & Leftovers

Join Chef Niquenya for a family-friendly, interactive online cooking class where she will demonstrate how to stock your kitchen with staple foods and transform leftovers into works of culinary art.

You don’t want to miss this!

Table Talk Series - Staple Foods & Leftovers
Saturday, January 9, 2020 | 10 AM – 12 PM CST | REGISTER NOW

Do you ever have one of those days where you don’t have the slightest clue what to eat?

You’re invited to our very first Table Talk Series virtual event!

This class will show you how to put together a quick meal out of basic staple foods that should be present in every kitchen or pantry. You will also learn how to repurpose leftovers into new and exciting meals.

What you will discover…

  • 6 basic categories of staple foods
  • 2 easy meal prep strategies to stretch a meal
  • 5 ideas to transform leftovers
  • a quick cooking demonstration

Who should attend Staple Foods & Leftovers?

  • Parents on a budget
  • Busy, on-the-go professionals
  • Singles desiring additional meal options
  • College students needing to stretch a dollar
  • Community members living in a food desert
  • Home cooks looking to expand your toolkit

This Staple Foods & Leftovers virtual cooking class is a part of our ongoing Table Talk Series aimed to use delicious food as the catalyst to increase awareness and access to opportunities to increase socioeconomic equity within the communities we serve.

NO REFUNDS will be provided given the nature of this donation-based virtual class. The webinar will be recorded so you will have the opportunity to access the replay for at least 14 days after the presentation. Should you have any questions or concerns, you may contact us at chef@cocoachili.com.

Register to Staple Foods & Leftovers now below!

Never miss an event!

Join our Email Club to stay informed of all our latest news, specials, recipes, new product alerts, and upcoming events. We have a special gift just for you when you sign up!

Authentic Jamaican Jerk Chicken – Recipe

Experience some of our sweet and spicy flair at home with this easy recipe for authentic Jamaican Jerk Chicken.

Jerk Chicken is a crowd favorite among Chicagoans and foodies the whole world over. The combination of savory, sweet, spicy, and citrus notes derived from the Scotch Bonnet peppers, fresh herbs, and spices used in the marinade are sure to please even the most sophisticated of palates.

Jerk refers to the method used traditionally by Jamaicans to marinade and smoke a variety of meats and vegetables over a slow stoked pimiento wood fire. Here in the states, we achieve this smoky flavor profile by adding copious amounts of allspice into the marinade then grilling. In fact, the aroma smells so good wafting through the air that I once had a homeless man steal the hot meats directly off the grill with his bare hands and run off with it stuffed down his shirt! No lie!

food on white background
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Authentic Jerk Chicken Recipe

Serves: 4 – 6

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 15-20 minutes

Marinade Time: 6-12 hours

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces; leg quarters or thighs work best
  • 1 jar of our Spicy Jerk Sauce & Marinade, 12-oz
  • 1/4-cup orange or pineapple juice (optional)
  • 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced for garnish (optional)

Directions

  1. Place chicken pieces into a gallon-sized freezer bag
  2. Measure out and pour 1 cup of the Spicy Jerk Sauce & Marinade over the chicken
  3. Seal the bag and manipulate the chicken being sure to evenly distribute the marinade over each piece
  4. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours; preferably overnight
  5. Remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature for a half hour prior to cooking
  6. Use tongues to place the chicken on heated, clean, and lightly oiled grill grates.
  7. Grill chicken until cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit using tongs to flip half-way through; about 7 to 10 minutes per side
  8. Remove and transfer grilled chicken to a platter; allow to rest
  9. Meanwhile warm remaining 1/2-cup of Spicy Jerk Sauce & Marinade over medium-low heat; if too spicy, add optional fruit juice of choice to taste
  10. Garnish prepared jerk chicken and sauce with thinly sliced scallions and serve alongside other traditional Jamaican dishes like steamed cabbage, rice and peas.

Did you try this recipe at home?

Let us know how it turned out in the comments below!