Main Dishes
Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Description
This easy Jamaican Jerk Chicken is spicy, slightly sweet, and irresistibly aromatic thanks to that signature jerk marinade. Whether you grill it or bake it in the oven, you’re going to flip for this tender, juicy chicken and its warm island vibes.
Ingredients
- 5 to 6 pounds bone-in, skin on chicken pieces or 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 4 green onions
- 6 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 2 jalapeño peppers seeded and cut into a few big pieces
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground allspice
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
Directions
- If using bone-in pieces, with a sharp knife poke a few holes in the chicken so the marinade can better penetrate. If using boneless, pound any chicken breasts into an even thickness; with the tines of a fork poke holes in the chicken. Pat the chicken dry, then place in a ziptop bag, a large bowl, or a baking dish sized to hold the chicken snugly.
- Cut off half of the dark parts of the green onion, finely chop, and set aside for serving (I put them in a small bowl or ziptop baggie in the refrigerator). Chop the remaining white and dark green parts into 1-inch pieces, then place in a mini food processor or high speed blender.
- To the food processor, add the garlic, jalapeño, lime juice, oil, brown sugar, thyme, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, salt, and black pepper. Blitz to combine (it’s OK if the mixture isn’t perfectly smooth).
- Pour the mixture over the chicken, then turn the chicken to coat it evenly. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. When ready to cook, let the chicken come to room temperature for at least 15 minutes.
- TO GRILL THE CHICKEN. Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium heat (350°F to 375°F). Clean and oil the grates. Grill the chicken pieces skin-side down (for bone-in) or smooth/presentation side down (for boneless) for 25 to 35 minutes (for bone-in) or 8 to 12 minutes (for boneless), turning halfway through. Chicken is considered done at 165°F. I like to remove chicken from the grill at 155-160°F and allow it to finish cooking while resting. Discard the excess marinade.
