Grilled Jamaican Jerk Chicken with Homemade Marinade

Sharing is caring!

Bring the flavors of the Caribbean home with this easy grilled Jamaican jerk chicken recipe! Juicy pieces of chicken are marinated in a jerk sauce before they are grilled over an open wood fire, resulting in a delicious combination of spicy smoky flavors.

The secret to amazing jerk chicken is balancing the flavors of the fresh ingredients, like peppers, with the flavors of the seasonings in the marinade, like sweet brown sugar and the warm sweet pepperiness of allspice. The perfect combination of ingredients creates mouthwatering jerk chicken that you can make at home.

Smoke is a quintessential element for jerk chicken. Cooking the marinated chicken on a wood fired grill creates a bold explosion of flavors. The flavor is woody, smoky, slightly sweet, and slightly tangy. Oh, and hot!

The first flavor you will notice is the heat from the Scotch bonnet peppers – I actually used habaneros because I couldn’t find Scotch bonnet. Then you’ll taste the zest from the citrus, the tang from the vinegar, and the savoriness from the herbs and seasonings. It’s one of the most vibrant and flavorful ways to season and cook chicken.

If you’re looking for more smoked chicken recipes, try Mexican Smoked Chicken, Extra Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings, or Smoked Chicken Enchiladas!

Authentic Jerk Chicken

Jerk Chicken is a classic Jamaican street food. Authentic jerk chicken is cooked over an open fire of fresh pimento wood, which is the wood of the tree that produces allspice berries. The wood is typically soaked in water so it’s moist.

Even if you can’t visit Jamaica, you can make jerk chicken at home with the same spicy jerk flavor. And since pimento wood is hard to source, you can use your favorite wood or pellets in a wood fired grill or smoker.

Although jerk chicken marinade ingredients vary, they all contain a few signature ingredients like Scotch bonnet peppers, allspice, and thyme. Scotch bonnet peppers and allspice are a cornerstone of Jamaican cooking and are frequently used in jerk, stews, and spice blends. Allspice is a single spice that tastes like a mix of clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pepper. It adds a sweet but peppery flavor to dishes which is why it’s great for jerk chicken.

While this recipe may not be 100% authentic jerk chicken since it’s not cooked over pimento wood, it’s a simplified recipe that is made with similar ingredients. It’s a great way to enjoy jerk chicken at home!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Jerk chicken is the perfect recipe to make on the grill or smoker. With bold flavors and tender juicy insides, this easy recipe is sure to be a hit!

• Bold and balanced flavor: The spicy peppers and other simple seasonings create a delicious marinade that is not lacking in flavor. With a smoky crispy outside and tender insides, this chicken is completely irresistible.
• Easy to prepare: Just throw all of the ingredients for the marinade in your food processor or blender, marinate the chicken overnight, and grill.
• Easy to adapt: Jerk chicken is traditionally smoky and spicy. But you can adjust the ingredients to fit your taste. Do you like it less spicy? Use less peppers.

*We have made this recipe using both a Santa Maria grill and a pellet smoker, but you can also use another wood fired grill, charcoal grill, or a gas grill. Using all wood really elevates the flavor to get that classic jerk flavor. If you love spicy food, you will love this recipe!

Grilled Jerk Chicken Video

Ingredients You Need

A full list of ingredients and measurements are included in the recipe card below. If you can’t find a certain ingredient, substitutions are provided below along with recipe tips further down.

Chicken: I break down a whole chicken to make jerk chicken, but you can use any type or mix of chicken – chicken breasts, chicken drumsticks, chicken thighs, etc. Bone-in, skin-on pieces of chicken cook better on the grill as the skin helps to lock in the juicy flavor and moisture.

For the jerk chicken marinade:

Scotch Bonnet Peppers: These spicy chili peppers are native to the Caribbean and are essential for jerk chicken. They have heat similar to a habanero pepper with a subtly fruity flavor. Avoid touching your face when handling and wash your hands and utensils after use to avoid the heat from transferring. If you can’t find scotch bonnet peppers, you can substitute with habanero peppers. Fresno or jalapeno peppers are a good choice if you want mild heat, but the flavor will be different.

Onions: You will need both a yellow onion and green onions. You can substitute the yellow onion with a red onion, if needed.

Fresh Garlic and Ginger: Both are a must for jerk chicken marinade!

Allspice: This is a single spice that tastes like a mix of clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pepper. It adds a sweet but peppery flavor to chicken which is why it’s great for jerk chicken.

Other Spices and Seasonings: In addition to the allspice, you will also need dried thyme, freshly ground black pepper, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt. If you want to use fresh thyme, use 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme instead of the dried.

Liquids: For the liquids, you will need olive oil, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and freshly squeezed lime juice.

Sweetener: Brown sugar adds a little bit of sweetness.

How to Make Grilled Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Jerk chicken is easy to make in just a few steps!

Step 1: Make the marinade.

Add all of the ingredients for the marinade to the food processor or large blender cup. Pulse until well combined and completely smooth. You can taste and adjust the peppers here if you want more heat.

Pour 1 cup of the marinade into an airtight container. Store in the fridge until you’re ready to cook the chicken. You will use this reserved marinade for basting.

Step 2: Marinate the chicken.

Place the remaining marinade in a large bowl. Add all of the chicken pieces and toss to coat the chicken all over. Cover and transfer to the fridge to marinate at least 8 hours or overnight.

Step 3: Prepare the grill for cooking.

Once the chicken is done marinating, prepare the grill or pellet smoker for cooking.

You can use any type of grill for this recipe or a pellet smoker. I like to use the Santa Maria wood fired grill to make classic jerk chicken.

Step 4: Grill the chicken.

Place the chicken on the grill and cook until the chicken is charred with nice grill marks on one side. Flip and continue to cook the chicken until the internal temperature reads 165°F on an instant-read meat thermometer.

During the last 5 minutes of cooking, baste the reserved jerk marinade all over the chicken.

*TIP: To trap the smoke for better flavor, place an aluminum pan (I use a disposable one) over the chicken after flipping to keep the heat circulating around the chicken. This also helps to condense the smoke to prevent it from escaping.

BBQ Sauce Variation

Because I like sweet heat, I sometimes like to add BBQ sauce to the jerk chicken. You can even try our Jamaican Jerk BBQ Sauce.

To do this, cook down ¼ to ½ cup of the jerk chicken marinade so that it thickens slightly and any excess moisture is removed. Stir in ¼ cup bbq sauce (or more to taste) until the mixture is smooth. Use this sauce to baste the chicken to add even more flavor. If you want to keep it traditional, then don’t add the bbq sauce.

Recipe Tips

• Scotch bonnet peppers are very hot: Do not touch your face (especially your eyes) when handling them. Make sure to wash your hands, knives and any surfaces that the peppers touch.
• Adjust the spiciness: Authentic jerk chicken is spicy thanks to the Scotch bonnet peppers. You can adjust the spice level to your taste by adjusting the number of peppers used in the marinade. I also recommend removing the seeds and pith from the peppers before adding the peppers to the food processor. You can then add the seeds and pith back until you reach your desired level of heat.
• Add Red Stripe Beer: To lock in flavor and keep the chicken moist, add Red Stripe Beer – a classic Jamaican lager beer. Simply pour the beer into a clean spray bottle. Spray the red stripe beer over the chicken during the last 5 to 10 minutes of grilling. This helps cool the heat from the Scotch bonnet peppers and adds more authentic Jamaican flavors.
• Don’t overcook the chicken: Keep a close eye on the chicken to ensure that one side of the grill isn’t cooking faster than the other. Or use my tip (see above) for catching the smoke to keep the heat condensed for even cooking. Always be sure to use an internal thermometer inserted into the chicken to check for doneness.
• Double the recipe to feed a crowd: You can easily double this recipe to feed a larger crowd.

Storage and Make Ahead

Store leftover jerk chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or on the grill.

If you don’t want to use the entire batch of marinade for the chicken, you can store the marinade in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Use it on shrimp, burgers, and more. You can even toss it with fresh veggies for roasting.

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy Jamaican jerk chicken with any of your favorite sides. It tastes great with grilled pineapple, plantains, or a side of rice. Or use the chicken to create even more delicious meals!

Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings – We originally developed this jerk chicken recipe for grilled wings. We toss our wings with our homemade Jerk BBQ sauce. Fantastic!

Jerk Chicken Bowls – Combine the jerk chicken with rice, black beans, grilled vegetables, salsa, and more. Pile the bowls high with your favorite ingredients to make them your own.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wraps – Kids and adults will love wraps made with the jerk chicken, rice, black beans, lettuce, cheese, or your other favorite ingredients. I also love adding pineapple for a sweet and juicy kick.

No matter how you choose to enjoy jerk chicken, you can bring a piece of Jamaican cuisine to your home. Enjoy this fiery Caribbean dish any time!

Pinterest User? Do us a favor and PIN this to your board for grilled chicken recipes. This is a GREAT way to support us!

Sharing is caring!