How To Make Authentic Caribbean Jerk Chicken
Step 1: Roughly chop the first six ingredients for the jerk marinade, and toss them into a food processor. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until smooth, but chunky. Reserve 1/2 cup of the sauce in the refrigerator.
Step 2: Make a series of 1/4-inch deep cuts into the chicken quarters to allow for the marinade to penetrate into the meat.
Place them in a sealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and massage to ensure chicken is completely coated. Seal the bag and place the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.
Step 3: Light your grill and set up for two-zone cooking. While the grill is preheating, remove chicken and remaining marinade from the refrigerator and allow them to sit at room temperature for no more than 20 minutes.
Step 4: Place chicken over direct high heat and allow the skin to char but not burn. Flip and turn the chicken often until desired level of charring has happened, usually about 10 minutes.
Step 5: Slide chicken over to indirect heat and using a long silicone basting brush, glaze the chicken with remaining marinade. Close the grill lid and allow chicken to cook until the internal temperature reaches 180°-185° F, usually about 20 minutes.
How To Bake Jerk Chicken Oven Method
- Heat oven and prepare baking sheet: preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 18 by 13-inch baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Arrange marinated chicken on sheet: remove chicken from marinade and arrange pieces on baking sheet leaving space between them.
- Bake to 165 degrees in center: bake in preheated oven until cooked through, about 45 50 minutes, while broiling during the last few minutes for better browning.
Jerk Chicken On The Grill Recipe: Easy 5 Steps To Make
The jerk chicken on the grill recipe is a dry rub recipe used to grill chicken and seafood. This is the base on which everything else builds when cooking jerk food in the oven or over a fire in a smoker. More than anything, it provides the flavor profile that youll use as a foundation for all your culinary creations.
This recipe is a combination of common Jamaican cooking techniques, which are perfect for grilling or smoking. The ingredients are simple and easy to find, and the method is straightforward. However, a fine-tuned knowledge of Jamaican cooking techniques will help you to produce authentic jerk chicken on the grill recipe.
Jamaica has been a British colony since 1655, so the mixture of Caribbean and African flavors is also apparent in some of our food traditions. Jamaicas dominant style of cooking is called Jerk cooking, and there are several variations.
The basic principle behind cooking jerk chicken on the grill recipe is to give many ingredients intense flavor through exposure to high heat. You can achieve this by marinating the meat in a mixture of hot peppers or jerk spice before grilling.
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How Do You Cook Jerk Chicken Legs On The Grill
1. Get a clean grill ready before you start cooking your chicken legs. You will need to season the grill to ensure it doesnt stick and gives out a flavor perfect for your chicken.
2. Season your chicken with seasoning and oil. Ensure you have rubbed the marinade on both sides of the chicken legs using a brush or spoon.
3. Place on the grill over indirect heat at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 40 minutes until it is done, flipping every 5-10 minutes.
4. Remove from the grill and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Serve with rice and any fresh vegetables you may wish to add.
5. You can serve your chicken with a Jamaican citrus coleslaw recipe, Jamaican potato salad recipe, or Jamaican macaroni salad recipe.
If you are looking for more popular Caribbean dishes, you may want to try other popular chicken recipes that may interest you.
The Beauty Of Jerk Seasoning
This jerk chicken pasta delivers a Caribbean fusion of flavors reflected in its creamy sauce infused with Jerk Seasoning. The variety of colors from bell peppers and fresh herbs make it more than aesthetically appealing its also incredibly mouthwatering.
This dish is inspired by rasta pasta, the creation of international chef Lorraine Washington back in 1986. The pasta dish was made with colorful bell peppers and tagliatelle, prompting them to name it Rasta because of its close resemblance to the Rastafarians and their dreadlocks.
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Tips For The Best Jerk Chicken
- Only use fresh ingredients for best flavor . Youll notice most everything is fresh in the recipe thats what makes this chicken so good!
- Allow enough time to marinate so those flavors can really soak into the chicken, at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours.
- Skip the chicken breasts and go for thighs for the most flavorful and tender end result.
- Want to maximize the flavor? Rub some of the marinade underneath the chicken skin .
- If grilling, remember every grill cooks a little differently so just keep an eye on it. You want some char but not overly charred chicken so reduce the temperature slightly as needed.
Smoked Jerk Chicken Thighs
Using pellet grills for smoking jerk chicken thighs is the best way to go. The goal is to recreate the classic jerk chicken that originated in Jamaica.
In Jamaica, jerk chicken stands are on the roadside. The chefs typically use a steel drum that has been cut in half and turned into a big barrel-style smoker grill. The preferred meat is chicken thighs because dark meat has more fat to keep the meat moist while it smokes.
Jerk chicken refers to a process of dry and wet rubbing the seasonings into the meat. The most prominent spices include the nutmeg and allspice and of course the scorching Scotch Bonnet or habanero chilis.
Jerk also refers to poking the meat to allow the spices to seep in and the fat to render out as it cooks. The term is related to jerky but of course, you are not trying to cook the chicken so long that it turns into chicken jerky!
The dry spices are rubbed into the meat, then the chicken is soaked in a salsa made from the peppers. I like to let the meat marinate overnight so the flavors really penetrate the meat.
The dry rub marries the heat better that way too. Dont get me wrong. I love the spicy bite of smoked jerk chicken hot off the grill. But, I dont want to just taste fire. I want all those other flavors to come through as well.
My Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs are a perfect way to use up that chicken!
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To Cook Chicken Using A Charcoal Grill:
Step 4
Open vents on bottom of grill and on lid. Light a large chimney of charcoal briquettes and pour them evenly over 1 side of bottom rack .
Step 5
When charcoal turns grayish white and you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds, sear chicken in batches on lightly oiled rack over coals until well browned on all sides, about 3 minutes per batch. Move chicken as seared to side of grill with no coals underneath, then cook, covered with lid, until cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes more.
It Is A Cancer Fighting Superfood
Chili peppers are superfoods loaded with phytochemicals that have powerful antioxidant properties. The benefits of the consumption of chili peppers include: Jerk Chicken On The Grill Recipe helps prevent cardiovascular diseases, boosts metabolism, helps you with weight loss, and protects you from cancer.
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Jamaican Jerk Chicken Seasoning And Recipe
Grilled jerk chicken is one of my staple grill meals. Its bursting with authentic Caribbean flavors and takes me back to being on vacaiton. Dont let the use of jalapeños scare you away! They add loads of flavor, but not too much spice, making the seasoning just perfect, even for the eaters who dont love the heat.
This authentic jerk chicken recipe only takes 30 minutes total to prep, plus marinating time. I like to place the chicken in the marinade in the morning, then its all set when Im ready to grill in the evening. You can even do it the night before and let it soak up all those Jamaican jerk seasoning flavors overnight.
Dont have a grill or want to enjoy this delicious chicken recipe all year round? No worries, we provide alternate forms of cooking the chicken indoors!
How To Make It
The process for making jerk chicken starts a day or 2 before actually cooking it. After the jerk chicken marinade is put together, it’s time to slather it on the chicken. You want to do this 12 to 36 hours ahead of time, before placing it on the grill or in a hot oven.
Begin by patting the chicken dry, using a paper towel. Then sprinkle with a little more salt and nutmeg and then place it in a gallon-size ziplock bag. Add the marinade to the chicken and refrigerate it until ready to cook.
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What Does Jamaican Jerk Chicken Taste Like
When I make this for someone new, Im often asked what it tastes like. The best way I can answer is to say its mildly sweet, with a kick of spice, and deliciously smoky. The jerk marinade itself is super flavorful and packed with tons of whole ingredients. The smokiness in Caribbean chicken traditionally comes from cooking it over pimento wood.
I wont be using pimento for this recipe because its nearly impossible to find. Instead Ill substitute oak which is my go-to wood for cooking. If you dont have wood you can use charcoal.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken Recipe
Authentic Jamaican Jerk Chicken that is rubbed with spicy and flavorful marinade and barbecued on the grill is a fantastic way to enjoy chicken.
» Looking for chicken recipes? Give these Sticky Korean Chicken Wings or these a try.
After a trip to Jamaica a few years ago, I was enthralled with the spiciness of Jamaican Jerk Chicken. Id had a bunch of different versions of this dish before going to Jamaica, but once I tried the real thing, I realized how off they were. Not really even close to the real flavor.
Making it myself at home, using the recipe I was given by a Jamaican cook, I could see why the other recipes often failed.
A huge part of this recipe is getting the Jerk seasoning right. There are a few key components that are absolutely necessary to get the right flavor combination.
Secondly, you need to allow the chicken to marinate with the rub for a long period of time , and finally you need to barbecue the meat over coals or on a gas grill on medium heat.
See how they do it at one of the most popular Jamaican Jerk roadside stands in Montego Bay?
They butterfly or spatchcock the chicken, rub it with their famous marinade, leave it on for a few days, then cook them up on a roasting pit. Then they cut the chicken into pieces.
If you dont want to cook an entire chicken, you can definitely still cook individual pieces with this recipe, but we highly recommend using the whole chicken, if possible.
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Cooking The Jerk Chicken
Now its time to get the chicken on. Well be placing the chicken on the opposite side of the charcoal, this is known as the indirect cooking zone or the cooler section. So remove the chicken from the marinade but keep the leftover marinade for basting later.
I like to use an internal temperature probe to track the chicken so its best to insert this now. Put the lid back on and make sure the lid vent is directly over the top of the chicken, this will draw the heat up and over the chicken.
We are going to start by cooking the chicken until it reaches an internal temp of around 150°F.
Then we will lift the lid and start placing pieces of chicken directly over the charcoal and constantly turning and basting with the leftover marinade.
Be sure to keep a track of the internal temp with an instant read thermometer like a Thermapen.
- Crazy fast one second read times
- Large, bright, backlit screen
We want to take the internal temp to 165°F at the thickest part of each thigh fillet.
Once each piece reaches 165°F internal temperature, remove from the grill and let rest under some aluminium foil for at least 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.
It wont need any longer as these are just thigh fillets, if it was a whole chicken or a half a chicken you would let it rest 15 to 30 minutes.
How To Make Jerk Marinade
Jerk seasoning is used throughout the Caribbean today, but the origin of it dates back to the end of the 17th century when African slaves fled into the woods to escape their British captors. Adapting to their new challenges, they used what was available to them for preserving the meat they caught, which led them to create the spicy sauce now known as jerk seasoning.
The marinade is a wet mix of spices, seasonings, and scotch bonnet chilis.
You can actually purchase Jamaican jerk marinade on Amazon, and its the exact same brand that Jamaicans buy and use at home. I have it on good authority from a Jamaican that this is the closest you can get to making it yourself. If you dont want to make your own marinade, you can purchase this sauce. Now back to cooking!
This isnt a marinade for those who dont like heat. Its spicy. Thats what makes it truly Jamaican. Yes, you can leave the peppers out, but it wont be as flavorful. Look at those delicious peppers!
» Love the flavor but not all the work? Try these Easy Jerk Chicken Wings.
If you cant get your hands on any scotch bonnets, you can substitute with habanero or jalepeno. Habanero chilis are actually very similar to scotch bonnets in heat, though scotch bonnets are a bit sweeter.
These peppers are screaming hot, of course, but you can tone down the spiciness by removing the veins and seeds.
All the ingredients in this jerk marinade are as follows. Yes, there are a lot of spices. Thats what makes the flavor so amazing.
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What Side Dishes To Serve With Caribbean Jerk Chicken
Theres plenty of flavor in this recipe, so consider my mild smoked collard greens. Rice and beans are traditional sides throughout the Caribbean, but you can give your meal a Southern Americana twist with smoked baked beans or cornbreadthough you may want to try my cheddar jalapeño cornbread recipe before you pair it with this dish.
For dessert, go Southern again with either smoked blueberry cobbler or smoked peach cobbler, or stay on the island with simple pineapple slices .
Setting Up Your Grill
We need to set up a two zone cooking method for the Jerk chicken. That means a cooler indirect side and a hotter direct grilling side.
We will be lighting a chimney full of lump charcoal, it burns hotter than briquettes and will also give a nice charcoal flavor to our chicken.
Once the charcoal is fully ashed over place it on one side of the charcoal grate and put the grilling grate back on and place the lid on.
Let the grill warm up for at least five minutes before putting the chicken on. Well be aiming for just over 400°F temps in our hotter zone for todays cook. So my Weber vents were all left wide open.
After five minutes, lift the lid and lightly oil the grates best to use a pair of tongs or heatproof gloves for this. I like to soak some paper towel with oil as it makes this job a lot easier.
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What Kind Of Grill Is Best For Jerk Chicken
We have a Traeger and Camp Chef pellet grill at the house. For this particular recipe I fired up the Traeger, but any kind of pellet grill will do!
You could also cook this on a gas or charcoal grill if youd like, or even cook it in the oven if you dont have a grill or the weather isnt cooperating with you.
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Jerk Chicken Marinade Ingredients
The ingredient combinations of Caribbean jerk marinade can be adjusted to your liking but here are the core ingredients:
- Heat: Scotch Bonnet Peppers are the traditional hot pepper for jerk chicken, bringing heat to the marinade. Another alternative is habanero peppers which are slightly less hot .
- Citrus: Orange and lime juice bring an acidic flavor balancing the heat.
- Aromatics: Allspice is the key ingredient for aromatics. This dried berry is a key part of an authentic jerk marinade. We use our jerk seasoning as the aromatic base and then add fresh ginger.
- Savory: Onions and garlic add savory flavors including green onion and red onion. In addition to the onions.
- Liquids: We add soy and apple cider vinegar as addition liquids. It adds an acidic balance to the marinade and a rich deep flavor.
The easiest way to make the jerk chicken marinade is to combine all the ingredients into a quality blender and then pulse until its a liquid like consistency.
Chefs Tip: If you want a dipping sauce this is when to reserve some of the marinade. Prior to marinating the chicken, set aside about a ¼ cups worth to be served later with the cooked meat.
Place the chicken in a gallon size baggie and then add the marinade. Close the bag, remove as much air as possible and then seal it. Marinate for at least 24 hours in a refrigerator and occasionally move the marinade and chicken around every few hours to get the marinade exposed to as much surface area of the chicken as possible.
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