The best instructions for grilling and baking Jamaican jerk chicken! Its intense flavor is a result of hours of marinating in a colorful marinade with mouthwatering seasonings.
Who can resist the mild char and irresistible spicy kick, though? An essential recipe!
To create a great and straightforward Caribbean supper, combine it with fresh pineapple and coconut rice.
Recipe For Jamaican Jerk Chicken
One of the best marinade recipes you’ll ever make is this one.
It may seem like an odd combination of ingredients, but when combined, they yield an amazing, well-balanced flavor that is bursting with fresh flavor. And chicken goes perfectly with everything.
It’s a fantastic meal for a summer picnic and simple enough to prepare for dinner on a weeknight.
Simply prepare the marinade the night before or the morning of the meal, add the chicken, and let it soak while you are at work. When you get home, pop it in the oven or grill it (while the rice simmers).
Jerk The chicken components listed here include chicken chunks, fresh ginger, green onions, thyme, limes, soy sauce, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, pepper, and pepper.
Ingredients For A Marinade And Chicken
(most print)- 5 thighs and 5 legs of bone-in, the skin-on chicken should be used.
- Red onions can be substituted for 1/2 of green onions.
- Use only fresh garlic for cooking.
- Ginger: only use fresh because it enhances the flavor so much.
- Scotch bonnet peppers, if you can locate them, will also go well with the habaneros. These are spicy, so you can use as much or as little as you like!
- Lemon juice also works in a pinch, in addition to lime juice. Never use bottled water.
- If you have low sodium soy sauce on hand, it will work; otherwise, just season the marinate with a little salt.
- You might use honey in place of brown sugar.
- Thyme leaves: While fresh are preferred, 1 tsp dried can do in a pinch.
- Don’t leave out the allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg—they may look unusual with chicken, but they’re essential elements.
making a marinade for jerk chicken. Ingredients such as green onions, spices, pepper, ginger, brown sugar, garlic, and thyme are added to the food processor.
Recipe For Jerk Chicken
- Put the chicken pieces in a sealable bag measuring one gallon.
- Make the marinade by chopping the following ingredients in a food processor: green onions, garlic, ginger, habaneros, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, thyme, and spices (it should be slightly coarse not pureed).
- Put the chicken in a bag, add the marinade, seal the bag while pressing out any excess air, and then rub the chicken with the marinade.
- Give the marinade time: let it sit in the fridge for 3 to 24 hours.
- marinating chicken pieces in a resealable bag.
Jerk chicken recipe: oven method
(most print)Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet. Spray non-stick cooking spray on a baking sheet that measures 18 by 13 inches and line it with aluminum foil.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and put the pieces on the baking sheet, leaving space between them.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the center of the food registers 165 degrees, broiling for a final few minutes for better browning.
Jerk chicken grilling techniques
Clean and oil the grates, then heat the grill to medium-high temperature (about 400 degrees.) Utilizing tongs and an oily paper towel, clean the grill grates and give them a light oiling.
Cook the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, about 30 minutes, flipping it occasionally (and lowering the heat slightly if it’s browning too quickly).
Can I use skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts?
Yes. If grilling, I’ve also made this with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Whenever possible, marinate for no more than six hours.
Grill over medium-high heat (425-450) for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, keeping a close check on it because it will start to dry out if the internal temperature rises above 165 degrees.
Breasts shouldn’t be baked because there won’t be any browning.
For grilling or oven roasting, boneless, skinless thighs should also perform well in this situation. Marinate for up to 12 hours if doing so.
Grill for 5 to 7 minutes on each side over medium-high heat (425-450). If baking, cook in a preheated 400-degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until well done. If necessary, broil for the final few minutes to help with browning.
Can I prepare the marinade ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the marinade up to 4 days ahead of time. Keep in the fridge.
The Best Jerk Chicken Recipe Tips
For the finest flavor, only use fresh ingredients (no dried powders). The majority of the ingredients in the dish are fresh, which is what makes this chicken so delicious.
- Give the chicken enough time to marinate—at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours—so the aromas can permeate the meat.
- For the most flavorful and tender results, skip the chicken breasts and instead for the thighs.
- Do you wish to enhance the flavor? Apply some of the marinades to the chicken’s skin below (just be careful not to tear it off).
- Just keep an eye on it when grilling because every grill cooks a little bit differently. To get the desired level of char without overcharging the chicken, lower the temperature as necessary.
What Accompanies Jerk Chicken?
- Conch Rice
- Beans, black
- Coleslaw
- new fruit (pineapple, mango, papaya, etc)
More Delicious Tropical Dinners:
- Salmon with mango avocado salsa and grilled lime
- Kebabs of Hawaiian Chicken
- Cod tacos
- Coconut rice with Cilantro-Lime Shrimp
- Sweet-and-sour sauced salmon
Instructions
- Put the chicken pieces in a sealable bag measuring one gallon.
- In a food processor, combine the remaining ingredients and pulse several times to chop (it should be somewhat coarse). Pour the mixture over the chicken in the bag, close it while squeezing out extra air, and then rub the chicken with the marinade. 3 to 24 hours should be given for resting in the refrigerator.
- Instructions for the oven: Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray non-stick cooking spray on a baking sheet that measures 18 by 13 inches and line it with aluminum foil.
- The chicken marinade should be removed. Place pieces on a baking sheet, spacing them apart. Bake in a preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until well done, broiling for a few minutes towards the end for better browning.
- Some guidelines for using a barbecue heat a gas grill to a medium-high temperature (about 400 degrees.) Utilizing tongs and an oily paper towel, clean the grill grates and give them a light oiling.
- Cook the chicken on the grill for about 30 minutes, turning it over occasionally (and lowering the burning temperature slightly if it’s browning too quickly).
Notes
- *A half-small red onion can be used in place of this.
- These are hot; adjust to taste. Try it with 1 jalapeno for a milder variation. When working with peppers, wear gloves.