Jamaican Jerk Chicken – a well-seasoned grilled chicken with a Jamaican jerk marinade that has the perfect balance of heat, sweet and savory. You’ll want to make this all year round!

Bbq season is in full swing and July 4th is only a couple of days away.  And am all in the mood for Jerk .

I am missing a couple of ingredients but do you think that  would come between me and  my fix? No way!  Off to the grocery store for the other ingredients.

My Jerk chicken has been marinating in the fridge for a couple of hours now and cannot wait to get it on the grill.

Jerk Chicken Marinade

This recipe comprises of the quintessential Jamaican ingredients – scotch bonnet, thyme and allspice which are a must for a jerk chicken. Some of the other spices are green onions, brown sugar, nutmeg, maggi and or bouillon cubes, cinnamon and of course- chicken.

This entire list of spices put together makes for one complex sauce – habanero burn, sweetness from the sugar and depth of flavor from the other spices. Although this recipe is significantly spiced, it is moist, tender and  one mouthful of flavor.

The “heat” level of the habanero or scotch bonnet is optional in this recipe. You can adjust it to suit your family needs especially if you have kids around.

This blend of spices comes together quickly in a blender or processor and all you have to do is let it marinade in a fridge for up to 24 hours. Sometimes I do not have the patience to let it marinade that long and just let it marinade for an hour or two.

It is traditionally serve with rice and peas, but I love it  with fried plantain.

This would be also pair well with the Caribbean Coleslaw here 

And this Fried Plantains  here 

Enjoy!

Tips and Notes:

1. You can leave out the habanero or adjust it especially if you have kids around.
2. Marinate the chicken for 1-2 hours, but preferably over night.

5 from 4 votes

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Jerk Chicken

Prep Time

4 hrs

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

4 hrs 20 mins

 

Grill Jerk Chicken - a well-seasoned grilled chicken with a Jamaican jerk marinade that has the perfect balance of heat, sweet and savory. You'll want to make this all year round!

Course: Main

Cuisine: Carribean

Servings: 4 -6

Calories: 635 kcal

Author: Immaculate Bites

Ingredients

• 8 -10 pieces of legs and thighs
• 1 lemon/lime
• Salt and pepper to season
• ½ tablespoon cinnamon powder
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme
• 3 medium scallions (green onions) chopped
• 1 medium onion coarsely chopped
• 2-4 habanero pepper chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Maggi or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon bouillon powder optional
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 6 garlic cloves chopped
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon allspice coarsely ground
• 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger chopped
• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper

Plantains

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Trim chicken of excess fat and pat dry with a cloth or paper napkin. Rub with lemon, salt and pepper

2. In a food processor or blender, combine the following: cinnamon, thyme, green onions, onion, habanero pepper, soy sauce, maggi/bouillon, brown sugar, garlic, nutmeg. allspice, fresh ginger and ground pepper. Pulse for about 30 seconds until blended.

3. Drench the chicken with jerk marinate, place in a zip lock bag and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. Try not to touch the jerk blend with your hands because it is extremely spicy hot. If possible, use gloves.

4. When ready to grill, remove chicken from the jerk marinade and place on medium to high lightly oil grill. Reserve the marinade
5. Cook chicken on the prepare grill 12- 20minutes, until juices run clear (internal temp of 165 degree F), turning often to optimize cooking and browning.You may also broil, or roast the chicken in a hot oven (425 degrees F).

6. In a small sauce pan simmer the remaining marinade and the one from the chicken for about 7 minutes. Serve with the chicken or mix it before serving with the plantains.

How to Make Jerk Chicken

Trim chicken of excess fat and pat dry with a cloth or paper napkin. Rub with lemon, salt and pepper. In a food processor or blender, combine the following: cinnamon, thyme, green onions, onion, habanero pepper, soy sauce, maggi/bouillon, brown sugar, garlic, nutmeg. allspice, fresh ginger and ground pepper. Pulse for about 30 seconds until blended.

Drench the chicken with jerk marinate, place in a zip lock bag and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. Try not to touch the jerk blend with your hands because it is extremely spicy hot. If possible, use gloves.

When ready to grill, remove chicken from the jerk marinade and place on medium to high lightly oil grill. Reserve the marinade. Cook chicken on the prepare grill 12- 20minutes, until juices run clear (internal temp of 165 degree F), turning often to optimize cooking and browning.You may also broil, or roast the chicken in a hot oven (425 degrees F).

In a small sauce pan simmer the remaining marinade and the one from the chicken for about 7 minutes. Serve with the chicken or mix it before serving with the plantains.