Jerk Chicken
Jerk chicken is smoky, spicy, and deeply aromatic, with a dark, lacquered crust scented by allspice, thyme, ginger, and scotch bonnet. This version uses a short but potent marinade and indirect grilling to deliver juicy meat with the characteristic charred edges of authentic jerk.
Ingredients
Jerk marinade
- 700 gbone-in chicken thighs, skin-on
- 1 small (about 15 g)scotch bonnet pepper, roughly chopped
- 40 gspring onions, roughly chopped
- 20 gfresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 3 cloves (12 g)garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp (6 g)fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tsp (4 g)ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp (0.5 g)ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp (0.25 g)ground nutmeg
- 30 mlsoy sauce
- 30 mllime juice
- 12 gbrown sugar
- 15 mlolive oil
- 4 gfine sea salt
- 1 gblack pepper
For grilling and serving
- 30 gpimento wood chips, soaked
- 1 limelime, cut into wedges
- 2 sprigsfresh thyme sprigs
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the grill for indirect medium heat, aiming for about 190-200°C. If using charcoal, bank the coals to one side; if using gas, leave one burner off. Drain the soaked pimento wood chips and prepare them for smoking. This setup gives the chicken time to cook through before the exterior darkens too much.
- 2
Make the jerk marinade by blending the scotch bonnet, spring onions, ginger, garlic, thyme leaves, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, olive oil, salt, and black pepper into a coarse paste. It should be thick enough to cling to the chicken; if needed, scrape down the bowl rather than thinning it.
- 3
Pat the chicken dry, then rub the jerk paste all over, including under any loose skin for deeper seasoning. Let it stand at room temperature for 15 minutes; this short rest helps the seasoning adhere and takes the chill off, which promotes more even cooking.
- 4
Add the pimento wood chips to the coals or a smoker box. Place the chicken on the cooler side of the grill, skin side up, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. The smoke should be steady, not harsh; if it billows heavily, open the vents slightly or briefly lift the lid.
- 5
Turn the chicken and continue cooking covered for 10-15 minutes more, until it is nearly cooked through. The meat should feel firmer and the juices should run mostly clear near the bone.
- 6
Move the chicken over direct heat to char lightly, 2-3 minutes per side, watching carefully because the sugars and spices can burn fast. Cook until the skin is deep mahogany with some blackened edges and the thickest part reaches 74°C.
- 7
Transfer the chicken to a plate and rest for 5 minutes so the juices settle. Serve hot with lime wedges and thyme sprigs. A final squeeze of lime brightens the smoky, spicy crust.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •For a stricter paleo version, replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos and omit the brown sugar or use 1 teaspoon date syrup; the flavor will be slightly less traditional but still excellent.
- •If you have more time, marinate the chicken for 4-12 hours in the refrigerator for deeper flavor; for this 60-minute version, a short stand plus smoky grilling gives a very good result.
- •Scotch bonnet heat varies a lot. Remove the seeds for a milder result, but keep some for authentic fire.
- •Traditional jerk is often cooked over pimento wood; a small amount of pimento wood chips gives the closest flavor on a home grill.
Background
Jerk cooking developed in Jamaica, where Indigenous Taíno techniques and later Maroon cooking traditions shaped the method of highly spiced, smoke-cooked meat. The hallmark flavors of allspice, thyme, chile, and wood smoke remain central, and jerk chicken is now one of the Caribbean’s most internationally recognized dishes.
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