Grilled Jamaican Jerk Chicken
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.
Servings: 8 people
Ingredients
- 6 to 10 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken pieces chicken thighs, chicken drumsticks, chicken breasts, etc. *See notes
For the Jerk Chicken Marinade:
- 1 to 3 habanero peppers, stems removed or scotch bonnet peppers *See notes
- 5 whole green onions ends removed
- 1 onion peeled and chopped
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 7 garlic cloves peeled
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 piece fresh ginger peeled - about 2” long
- 2 tablespoons ground allspice
- 2 tablespoons dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons black pepper
- ½ tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Add all of the marinade ingredients to a blender. Pulse until well combined and smooth. Pour 1 cup of the marinade into a small bowl wrapped in plastic or airtight container. Transfer to the fridge.
- In a large bowl, add all of the chicken pieces and the remaining marinade. Toss to coat the chicken all over. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the chicken to marinate in the refrigerator overnight (or at least 8 hours.)
- Prepare the wood fired grill or pellet smoker for high-heat cooking, about 450-500℉.
- Add the reserved marinade to a small saucepan set over medium-low heat. Cook the sauce down until it reduces.
- 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 until the internal temperature reads 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, baste the reserved jerk marinade all over the chicken. *Cooking times will vary based on the temperature of your grill, the size of your chicken pieces, etc.
- *Cooking TIP: To trap the smoke for better flavor, place an aluminum pan (I just use a disposable one) over the chicken to keep the temperature circulating around the chicken. This helps to condense the smoke to prevent it from escaping.
- When chicken is fully cooked, transfer to a serving plate. Allow the chicken to rest for about 5-10 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- For the chicken - This recipe makes enough marinade for 2 whole chickens. I break down the whole chicken into pieces, but you can use whatever combination of chicken pieces you like. Bone-in skin-on is the best for flavor, but boneless works too.
- Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers - This marinade is incredibly spicy. We like to make it with one habanero pepper. Remove the stem from the pepper, cut in half, and add to the food processor. For a milder marinade, remove the seeds and pith from the habanero pepper or substitute a jalapeno pepper.
- BBQ sauce variation - You can add more sweetness and flavor by using 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.