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Jerk Chicken Recipe
3.7 from 9 votes

Jerk Chicken Recipe

This Jerk Chicken is hot hot hot from habañero and full of flavor from spices like allspice, fresh ginger, and cinnamon. Paired with a cold beer, this is the perfect dish for any time of the year.

Prep Time
8 hrs
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
8 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 198 kcal
Course: Appetizer, Dinner
Cuisine: Jamaican

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • lime juice and zest from 2 limes
  • 5 to 8 Scotch bonnet peppers stems removed, or 10 habanero or serrano
  • 1/2 yellow onion roughly chopped
  • 8 garlic peeled, cloves
  • 3 scallions pale green and white part only
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar or dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon thyme from 5 sprigs of thyme, fresh leaves
  • 1 (2-inch) knob ginger peeled, fresh
  • 2 teaspoons kosher
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 3 pounds chicken I had a mix of dark meat: wings, drumsticks and thighs, skin-on
  • 1 lime for garnish
  • 10 cilantro for garnish, leaves

Instructions

To Make the Marinade:
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a blender, add the olive oil, soy sauce, lime zest and juice, peppers, onion, garlic, scallions, brown sugar, thyme leaves, ginger, salt, cinnamon and allspice. Pulse until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken to a large bowl. Pour the jerk marinade over the chicken, cover with plastic wrap, and transfer to the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
To Grill the Jerk Chicken:
  1. To Cook on a Grill: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Rub the grill with oil. Place the chicken on the grill over a medium flame, and cook for about 10 minutes per side. I like to check on them to make sure they're not getting too much heat. Feel free to move them away from the flame if this happens and cover. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165F.
To Cook the Jerk Chicken in a Grill Pan:
  1. First step is to open all your windows. You’ll need proper ventilation because the cooking of the marinade creates some intense vapors.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Spray a grill pan, set over medium-high heat, with cooking spray or rub a light coating of canola oil all over.
  3. When hot, add the chicken, skin-side down, cooking on each side until browned for about 5 minutes. You may need to do this in batches, depending on how big your pan is. Transfer the chicken to the baking sheet and place in the oven to bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until cooked throughout. Garnish with wedges of lime and cilantro leaves.

Notes

  • Tips and Tricks: 
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  • Heat Levels: Five scotch bonnet peppers will give you jerk chicken with a kick (I love spicy food). While eight scotch bonnet peppers will give you super spicy jerk chicken. Heat enthusiasts should 6-8 scotch bonnet peppers. 

Nutrition Information

Serving 6g Calories 198kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 12g (4%) Protein 12g (24%) Fat 2g (3%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Cholesterol 20mg (7%) Sodium 2mg (0%) Potassium 20mg (0%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 21IU (0%) Vitamin C 2mg (2%) Calcium 4mg (0%) Iron 9mg (50%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 198

% Daily Value*

Serving 6g
Calories 198kcal 10%
Carbohydrates 12g 4%
Protein 12g 24%
Fat 2g 3%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 20mg 7%
Sodium 2mg 0%
Potassium 20mg 0%
Sugar 3g 6%
Vitamin A 21IU 0%
Vitamin C 2mg 2%
Calcium 4mg 0%
Iron 9mg 50%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.