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Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Jamaican jerk chicken with Caribbean spice, charred grill edges, and a smooth scotch bonnet marinade. Grilled until cooked through, then served with rice and peas and lime wedges.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
marinating 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Jamaican
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and marinade
  • 3 lb chicken pieces
  • 4 green onions, chopped
  • 2 scotch bonnet peppers (or habaneros), seeded
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp allspice
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 salt to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the jerk marinade
  1. Blend green onions, scotch bonnet peppers, garlic, fresh thyme, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until smooth, with no visible green or pepper pieces.
  2. Score chicken pieces and rub the jerk marinade all over, making sure it gets into the cuts so the flavor penetrates.
  3. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 4-24 hours, turning once if possible so the color and spice coat evenly.
Grill the chicken
  1. Preheat the grill to medium heat, aiming for steady heat that can char the outside without burning the sugars.
  2. Grill chicken, turning frequently, for 30-40 minutes until charred on the outside and cooked through in the thickest pieces.
Serve
  1. Serve Jamaican jerk chicken with rice and peas, and add lime wedges on top for a bright finish.

Notes

Pro tip: Keep scotch bonnet (or habanero) seeds out if you want less heat; leaving some seeds boosts the authentic jerk punch. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 4 days; freeze cooked chicken up to 2 months (thaw in the fridge overnight). For a lower-sodium option, use reduced-sodium soy sauce and keep the salt to a light touch.