Name: Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients: 500 g Chicken Thigh, bone-in or boneless pieces, trimmed; 1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper, roughly chopped; ¼ cup Spring Onion Whites, chopped; 3 clove Garlic, peeled; 1 inch Ginger, peeled and chopped; 1 tbsp Thyme, fresh leaves; 1½ tsp Ground Allspice; ¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon; ¼ tsp Nutmeg Powder; 1 tsp Brown Sugar; 1 tbsp Vinegar; 1 Lemon, juiced; 1 tbsp Cooking Oil; ¾ tsp Salt

35 mintotal

Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Spicy

Add to your week

Method

Blend the Scotch Bonnet Pepper, Spring Onion Whites, Garlic, Ginger, Thyme, Ground Allspice, Ground Cinnamon, Nutmeg Powder, Brown Sugar, Vinegar, Lemon juice, Cooking Oil, and Salt into a coarse jerk paste.
Rub the paste all over the Chicken Thigh pieces, including under any skin, and let the chicken sit while the grill heats.
Heat the grill to medium-high and place the chicken on the grates away from direct flare-ups.
Grill for 20 to 25 minutes, turning often, until the chicken is deeply browned and cooked through.
20–25 min
Rest the chicken for 5 minutes before serving so the juices settle.
5 min

How to tell it's done

The chicken should be smoky, juicy, deeply browned, and lightly charred at the edges.

Getting it right

Tip

Keep the heat strong enough to char the edges but move the chicken away from flare-ups so the sugar and spices do not burn.

What to serve it with

Serve with rice and peas, grilled plantain, or a crisp cabbage salad.

Common mistakes

The jerk coating turns black before the chicken cooks through.: Move the chicken to a cooler part of the grill or lower the pan heat. The spices should char at the edges, not burn into a bitter crust.

Substitutions

Scotch Bonnet Pepper — Use Habanero Pepper if scotch bonnet is unavailable, but the aroma will be slightly different.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate cooked jerk chicken within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Reheat covered until hot, then uncover briefly to refresh the browned edges; freezing works for up to 2 months, though the char softens.

Cayman Coconut Fish Rundown

Cayman-style fish rundown simmered in reduced coconut milk with peppers, thyme, and vegetables.

50 minpescatarian

Cuban Shredded Beef Stew

Cuban ropa vieja with tender shredded beef, peppers, tomato, olives, and capers.

1 hr 45 minnon vegetarian

Grenadian Coconut Breadfruit Stew

Grenadian oil down with breadfruit, coconut milk, callaloo, turmeric, and salt cod.

1 hr 15 minpescatarian

Guyanese Slow-Cooked Pepperpot

Guyanese pepperpot with beef, cassareep, warm spices, and Scotch bonnet heat.

2 hr 15 minnon vegetarian

Martinican Colombo Chicken

Martinican colombo chicken simmered with colombo powder, vegetables, herbs, and lime.

1 hr 5 minnon vegetarian

Saint Kitts Goat Water Stew

Saint Kitts-style goat water stew with tender goat meat, herbs, spices, and small dumplings.

1 hr 55 minnon vegetarian

Ingredients