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 I’m 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 consists of the quintessential Jamaican ingredients – scotch bonnet, thyme and allspice which are a must for 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 served with rice and peas, but I love it with fried plantain.
This would also pair well with the Caribbean Coleslaw here
And this Fried Plantains here
Enjoy!
Tips and Notes:
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- You can leave out the habanero or adjust it especially if you have kids around.
- Marinate the chicken for 1-2 hours, but preferably over night.
Watch How to Make It
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!
- 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
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup Liquid (water or pineapple juice ,) (adjust to a desired consisteny with more or less)
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Trim chicken of excess fat and pat dry with a cloth or paper napkin. Rub with lemon, salt and pepper
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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 ,ground pepper and Liquid . Pulse for about 30 seconds until blended.
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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.
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When ready to grill, remove chicken from the jerk marinade and place on medium to high lightly oil grill. Reserve the marinade
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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).
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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. If possible, use gloves.
When ready to grill, remove chicken from the jerk marinade and place on medium to high and lightly oil grill. Reserve the marinade. Cook chicken on the prepared grill 12- 20 minutes, 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.
This. Was. FABULOUS!!
Made a special dinner for my son who came home from college for the weekend. Served it with your rice and red beans and Caribbean coleslaw. What an incredible feast!! His eyes were so big when he tasted the sauce on the meat!
We felt as if we were back on Grand Cayman. So very delicious- thank you so very much for sharing!!!
So happy to read this, Astrid. Thank you for trying out my recipes and sharing it with your loved ones.
I am trying your recipe this weekend with a twist. Using it on a Boston butt of lamb and with rum for the liquid. Going to marinate a couple days and slow smoke on Monday to shred and serve on Johnny cakes. As a new resident in the Caribbean, I am loving exploring the different flavors! Thank you
Delicious! My family and I loved the chicken.
Awesome! Thank you for letting me know.
I use a half cup of olive oil to get the marinade liquefied and more apt to stuck to the chicken. Also its MUCH better if you slow cook on mesquite kingsford. This is a lot of work but it’s well worth it. You have to get quite a few coals going and regulate the vents to keep temp low but not go out.
Awesome! Thanks for the tip and feedback.
Paul is correct, the marinade need more liquid, as written it is more on a paste and cannot be used as a sauce on finished product. I used some oil and a some dark rum. Still pretty thick so may add chicken broth next time.
verify the recipe to insure a liquid ingredient isn’t missing
I have updated recipe . Thanks bob.
I had to try this recipe, and since the weather was unseasonably warm for December, I went outside and fired up the grill. I followed the instructions exactly and my children and grandchildren wAs shocked! They eat jerk chicken all the time from someone else and they said this one was incredible!! I was so happy and the pot was gone in no time! I am so excited to be cooking something new, thanks to you, I can’t wait to make the pineapple cake you posted.
Yaaay! I always love it when kids dig in my recipes. Glad it all turned out well for you, Andrea and I hope the kids left some for you. 😉 Happy New Year!
Will this recipe work for a cut up turkey?
Yes it would work.
I’m going to make thus tomorrow. My meat is currently marinating in the fridge. Didn’t have fresh thyme so I used dried. I’m hoping you’d turns out well. The marinade didn’t smell as sweet as I was hoping, but we shall see. Does it come out well if I put it in the oven? I have a newborn and it’s impossible to grill.
Yes, it’ll work fine in the oven just like this Baked Jerk Chicken Wings here >> https://www.africanbites.com/jerk-chicken-wings/
Can I use this same recipe for jerked turkey? Thinking of using this recipe for our Christmas turkey.
You should link this to pintrest so people can save the recipe. This looks absolutely delicious. Can’t wait to try it out.
Thanks! We’ve never done jerk chicken in India before and are looking forward to trying it out. Additional incentive is that you’re so pretty.
Thank you! =) Can’t wait for you to try this wonderful recipe. ENjoy!
Hello, love all of yor recipes…The scotch bonnet, do you use the herb seasoning one or the liquid one? I saw two different types online..
Thank you
Hi Michelle, I use the scotch bonnet pepper itself and chopped it.
Took a trip to the Caribbean earlier this year and was able to try Jerk chicken. I instantly fell in love! Since then I have tried several ways to recreate it at home. I just made this marinade and am so excited! I think I found my new favorite way to make jerk!! I opted to use 8 green onions instead of mixing both green and white. Thank you so much for sharing!!
You’re most welcome, Kayce!Glad you enjoy it.
I’m Ghanaian and Togolese, but my husband is Jamaican. I used your recipe to marinate organic chicken drumsticks, as well as added a hint of smoke using a cold smoker with hickory wood chips. My husband absolutely loved it and mentioned it tasted authentic. Thanks for sharing your recipes with us. I’ve used many of them in the past and love the diversity of recipes you post.
Thank you so much for all the kind words, Ruth! Happy cooking! 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your recipes! You are bringing family dinners together many tastebuds at a time. My family now looks forward to dinner. I had to finally had to let them know it is all you!
looks delicious!!!
Going to make this dish in the upcoming days.
Thanks for the recipe.
Awesome! Do le me know how it works out for you . Thanks !
great
Where does the Lemon/Lime come in?
Hi Tray! You add to the marinade .
Yum! Now I am craving chicken! I love roasting whole chickens on Sunday evenings, and I always use the bones to make a broth. It’s a great way to have a surplus of broth in the freezer, and it’s so handy when anyone in my house gets sick! I will try this recipe the next Sunday I roast a chicken
Awesome! Do let me know how it works out for you.
Gonna cook this tomorrow. Thank you!!
Hi Cherisse! Please let me know how it turns out!
Thinking about this for a beach vacation trip. What about doing all the prep and freezing the chicken in the marinade for travel? Thaw a few days later in the fridge and throw on the grill after being on the beach? Would this marinade handle that?
Hi Dawnmarie! It will definitely handle it – make sure you save some extra marinade for the sauce. Do let me know how it turns out. Thanks
A friend at a local eatery turned me on to his fathers fresh scotch bonnet peppers and i was looking for a “1st time” guide…using simply breast this time…I will leave comment after trying….I love savory heat and will try using this to get me other half to be more open to trying “spicy” cooking
***from the presentation i’m sure this is gonna be yummy in my tummy!!!
thanks
Mike
Loved this spice blend the only thing I did differently was to omitting the maggi , soy sauce in place of salt. I served this over white rice . Yum!