Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Bone-in chicken marinated in a fiery, allspice-scented jerk paste and grilled until charred and smoky. A Caribbean classic with serious heat and even bigger flavor.
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters
- 4 green onions, roughly chopped
- 2 scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, stemmed
- 1 small yellow onion, quartered
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
- 0.25 cup soy sauce
- 0.25 cup fresh lime juice
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground allspice
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, score the skin of each chicken leg quarter with 2 to 3 diagonal slashes to help the marinade penetrate.
- In a blender, combine the green onions, Scotch bonnet peppers, onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, lime juice, vegetable oil, brown sugar, allspice, thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Blend until a smooth, thick paste forms, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Reserve 1/4 cup of the jerk paste in a separate container for basting later; do not let it touch the raw marinade used on the chicken.
- Place the chicken in a large bowl or zip-top bag, pour the remaining marinade over it, and toss to coat thoroughly, working the paste into the scored skin.
- Cover and refrigerate to marinate for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight for maximum flavor.
- Preheat a grill for two-zone cooking, with one side on medium-high direct heat and the other on indirect low heat.
- Sear the chicken skin-side down over direct heat for 5 to 6 minutes until charred and grill-marked, then flip and sear the other side for 4 minutes.
- Move the chicken to the indirect heat side of the grill, cover, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally and basting with the reserved paste, until the internal temperature reaches 165 F.
- If any areas char too quickly, move them further from direct heat rather than removing them from the grill early.
- Transfer the chicken to a platter and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve hot with rice and peas or grilled plantains.
Why You'll Love This
- Bold allspice-and-Scotch-bonnet marinade delivers authentic Caribbean heat
- Two-zone grilling gives a charred crust without burning the chicken
- Marinating overnight makes the flavor penetrate all the way through
Scoring the skin before marinating lets the spicy paste penetrate into the meat instead of just sitting on the surface.
Searing over direct heat first, then finishing over indirect heat, chars the skin without drying out or burning the chicken before it's fully cooked.
Nutrition
| Calories | 490 |
| Protein | 36 g |
| Fat | 30 g |
| Carbs | 10 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sodium | 780 mg |
Estimated per serving
