This Jamaican Jerk Chicken recipe brings the flavors of garlic, spicy peppers, ginger, allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon together in the most flavorful chicken marinade ever. The spices and flavors really blend well and the aromas from the chicken on the grill will make your mouth water. This dish is popular is very popular in Jamaica but you don’t have to travel to enjoy this recipe.
I like to make it this dish with drumsticks and thighs. However though not traditional you can make it with boneless skinless chicken breasts, beef, pork, seafood, and vegetables. For a complete meal serve with black beans and rice.
How to make Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Start by combining the onion, green onions, garlic, habanero peppers, ginger, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, thyme, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Then pulse several times to combine the ingredients into a marinade. Now pour into a heavy duty seal bag and add the chicken legs and thighs to the bag. Place the bag in the refrigerator and let it marinate for 3-4 hours.
Now preheat the grill to medium high. Then cook the chicken over direct heat until slightly blackened and charred. Now move the chicken to indirect heat until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
- Let the chicken marinate for 3-4 hours to absorb some of those delicious flavors. You can even go as far as overnight but not much more than that or the acid in the marinade will start to change the texture of the chicken.
- Habanero Peppers are hot so wear gloves when handling them and wash your hands thoroughly after handling them and the marinade.
- You can substitute serrano, jalapeno, or Scotch Bonnet peppers. Please be very careful when handling these peppers. I recommend using food prep disposable gloves. The peppers will be tamed down a little when mixed in the marinade but precautions should still be taken not to touch your face especially your eyes or nose.
- Grill the chicken over direct heat until the skin is blackened and slightly charred. Then move to indirect heat and finish cooking until the juices run clear and the internal temp reads 160 degrees.
- This recipe is traditionally made with bone in skin on chicken thighs and legs but it is also delicious with boneless skinless chicken breasts.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
How to bake Jerk Chicken
Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees. Cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush with vegetable oil. Then remove the chicken from the marinade and arrange the thighs and legs on the sheet leaving room between them. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. For best results turn on the broiler the last few minutes of cooking. Turn once to brown both sides. Stay close by as I have always found broilers very unpredictable.
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Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion roughly chopped
- 6 green onions roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 habanero peppers stem removed see notes
- 1 inch piece ginger peeled and roughly chopped see notes
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 limes juiced
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 3 teaspoons allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 2 ½ -3 lbs. bone in skin on chicken legs or thighs
Instructions
- Combine the onion, green onions, garlic, habanero peppers, ginger, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, thyme, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse several times to combine the ingredients.
- Pour into a heavy duty seal bag and add the chicken legs and thighs to the bag. Place the bag in the refrigerator and marinate for 3-4 hours.
- Preheat the grill to medium high heat. Using tongs remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the grill over direct heat. Discard any remaining marinade. Cook until slightly blackened and charred. Move the chicken to indirect heat until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Notes
- Let the chicken marinate for 3-4 hours to absorb some of those delicious flavors. You can even go as far as overnight but not much more than that or the acid in the marinade will start to change the texture of the chicken.
- You can substitute 2 tablespoons ginger paste for the ginger.
- Habanero Peppers are hot so wear gloves when handling them and wash your hands thoroughly after handling them and the marinade.
- You can substitute Scotch Bonnet, serrano, or jalapeno peppers. Please be very careful when handling these peppers. I recommend using food prep disposable gloves. The peppers will be tamed down a little when mixed in the marinade but precautions should still be taken not to touch your face especially your eyes or nose.
- Grill the chicken over direct heat until the skin is blackened and slightly charred. Then move to indirect heat and finish cooking until the juices run clear and the internal temp reads 160 degrees.
- This recipe is traditionally made with bone in skin on chicken thighs and legs but it is also delicious with boneless skinless chicken breasts.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Nutrition
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Joyce Humphrey
Would this still work without the peppers? Not a fan of them. The rest sounds delicious.
Beth Pierce
Yes it would. Enjoy!