Jamaican Jerk Chicken Recipe
This Jamaican jerk chicken recipe is loaded with Caribbean flavor, with a spicy Scotch bonnet marinade, perfect for grilling or baking, a family favorite.
Servings: 6
Calories: 358kcal
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (cut up, or use your favorite cuts)
FOR THE MARINADE
- 4-6 Scotch Bonnet peppers chopped
- 1 small red onion chopped
- 4-6 garlic cloves chopped
- 4 stalks scallions ends trimmed
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup vinegar use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar to your preference
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Juice from 1 large orange about ¾ cup orange juice
- Juice from half a lime lime juice
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or use fresh if available
- Salt and pepper to taste I usually use 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon black pepper
Instructions
- For the jerk marinade, add all of the marinade ingredients to a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
- Next, poke some holes in your chicken with a knife to let the marinade permeate more deeply.
- Set the chicken into a large bowl or into a sealable baggie. Pour the marinade over the chicken and rub it down. You can to completely cover the chicken with the marinade.
- Cover and refrigerate. Marinate the chicken at least 2 hours, though you'll get more flavor penetration if you plan ahead and refrigerate overnight. Discard marinade.
- TO GRILL THE CHICKEN. Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grill grates. Grill the chicken for 12-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. It should measure 165 degrees F internally.
- TO BAKE THE CHICKEN. Heat your oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the chicken for 35-40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. It should measure 165 degrees F internally. Grilling is more traditional, but baking is easy.
- Remove from heat and serve.
Notes
Heat Factor: Mild-Medium. The scotch bonnet peppers will bring some heat, though it won't translate to a lot of heat in the marinade process. If you'd like more heat, use more scotch bonnet peppers.
Serving Sauce Option. Save some of the jerk marinade before marinating the chicken to heat and serve as a finishing sauce over the chicken, but it needs to be cooked. Bring it to a boil, then simmer 5 minutes to cook through.
Nutrition
Calories: 358kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 476mg | Potassium: 374mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 331IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2mg