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Jamaican Jerk Chicken

A traditional Jamaican jerk chicken recipe with aromatic spices and scotch bonnet peppers, perfect for grilling or baking.

JamaicanServes 41hentree
Servings4

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

3 1/2 lb chicken (3lb of chicken breasts may be used if preferred)
6 sliced scotch bonnet peppers (jalapeños may be used if scotch bonnet peppers are unavailable)
2 Tbsp thyme
2 Tbsp ground allspice
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 medium onions, finely chopped

Seasonings

2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp salt
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 to 2 tsp ground cinnamon (to taste)
1 to 2 tsp nutmeg (to taste)
1 to 2 tsp ginger (to taste)

Wet Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
juice of 1 lime
1 cup orange juice
1 cup white vinegar

Method

Preparation

  1. 1

    Chop the onions, garlic and peppers. These do not need to be chopped too fine as they will be liquidised by the blender.

  2. 2

    Blend all of the ingredients (excluding the chicken) in a blender to make the jerk sauce.

Cooking

  1. 1

    Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, turn the meat then bake for a further 30 minutes.

  2. 2

    OR

  3. 3

    Grill the meat slowly until cooked, turning regularly. Baste with some of the remaining marinade whilst cooking. For best results, cook over a charcoal barbeque (ideally over a rack of pimento wood).

Serving

  1. 1

    Chop each quarter chicken portion in to 5 or 6 smaller pieces using a heavy cleaver.

  2. 2

    Use a wooden spoon (or something similar) to hold the chicken in place whilst chopping and NOT YOUR HAND (you will be chopping with enough pressure to cut through bone!!)

  3. 3

    Serve with festival and salad or rice and peas or hardo bread and the jerk sauce left over for dipping.