Jamaican Jerk Chicken

This Jamaican Jerk Chicken is a spicy yet abundantly flavorful recipe made with an easy marinade that is prepared in a food processor in about ten minutes. The post includes instructions for grilling or baking.

Course main meal chicken

Cuisine Caribbean

Keyword Caribbean jerk, how to make Jamaican jerk chicken, jerk chicken, jerk sauce

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Servings serving

Calories 317kcal

Author Beth Pierce

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