How to Make Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Cook Jamaican jerk chicken on a grill.

Jerk chicken is a popular dish with a long history in Jamaica. It is believed that the term "jerk" came from the Spanish version of a Quechua word, "charqui," meaning meat that had been smoked and dried into strips. This of course is also where the term "jerky" derived from. The ingredients of jerk chicken include some of the spices found on the island, particularly allspice, Scotch bonnet peppers and limes. Jerk chicken can be baked in the oven, grilled or barbecued.

Things You'll Need

• Blender
• Small sealed container
• Large sealed container
• Baking sheets, optional
• Cooking fork, optional
• 3 lb. whole chicken, cut into parts, or 3 lb. of chicken breasts
• Marinade ingredients:
• 1 to 5 Scotch bonnet peppers, to taste
• 2 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves or 1 tbsp. dried
• 2 tbsp. ground allspice
• 4 large cloves garlic
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp. nutmeg
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• Juice of 1 lime
• ¼ cup orange juice
• ¾ cup white vinegar

Instructions

1. Add the marinade ingredients in a blender. Whir until smooth and blended. Reserve 1 cup of the marinade in a separate container for dipping.

2. Set the cut portions of chicken or the chicken breasts in a large sealed container and add the marinade. Refrigerate overnight, preferably, or for at least one hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit if baking. Remove the chicken from the marinade and set it on baking sheets. Bake for 35 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over and bake for another 25 minutes.

4. Prepare the coals if using a charcoal grill. Place the chicken pieces on an oiled rack and cook directly over the coals for three minutes to sear the meat on all sides. Move the chicken away from the coals, cover the grill and cook for 25 to 30 minutes.

5. Preheat a gas grill on high, if using. Turn down the heat to medium. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until browned. Cover the grill, turn the heat to low and cook for about 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked thoroughly.

Tips & Warnings

• You can substitute habanero or jalapeno peppers for the Scotch bonnet peppers, if you wish.

• This is a spicy dish. If you are afraid of, or cooking for people, who aren't a fan of spicy food, you may want to cut down on the amount of pepper used.

References

• Food History: The History of Jamaican Jerk
• Jamaica Travel and Culture: Jerk Chicken
• Jamaican Recipes: To Be...Hot Jamaican Jerk Chicken or Not to Be... Mild Jamaican Jerk Chicken
• Caribbean Choice: Jamaican Jerk Chicken