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Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Jamaican jerk chicken with Caribbean spice marinade, blended smooth and rubbed deep into scored chicken for intense flavor. Grill until charred at the edges and cooked through, then serve with rice and peas and lime wedges.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
marinating 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Jamaican
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 3 lb chicken pieces
Jerk marinade
  • 4 green onions chopped
  • 2 scotch bonnet peppers (or habaneros) seeded
  • 4 clove garlic crushed
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp allspice
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 Salt to taste

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the jerk marinade
  1. Blend green onions, scotch bonnet peppers, garlic, fresh thyme, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until smooth.
Score, rub, and marinate
  1. Score chicken pieces and rub the jerk marinade all over, working it into the cuts so it clings to the surface.
  2. Marinate the chicken for 4-24 hours in the refrigerator.
Grill and serve
  1. Preheat the grill to medium heat.
  2. Grill the chicken, turning frequently, for 30-40 minutes until charred and cooked through.
  3. Serve the charred jerk chicken with rice and peas and lime wedges.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the grill at medium heat so the spices char without burning before the chicken is done. Refrigerate leftover jerk chicken in a sealed container for 3-4 days; freeze up to 2 months (thaw in the fridge before reheating). For a milder version, replace scotch bonnet peppers with habaneros and reduce to 1 pepper.