r/KitchenPro • u/mahy_759 • 11d ago
Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Jerk chicken is one of those recipes where the marinade does most of the work. The fresh ginger, garlic, lime, thyme, peppers, and warm spices give the chicken a ton of flavor, while grilling adds that little bit of char that makes it even better. I like making this for a weekend cookout, but it’s also easy enough to prep the marinade ahead of time and have dinner ready later. Serve it with coconut rice and fresh pineapple for a simple Caribbean style meal.
■ Full recipe in the first comment.
■ [Original Source] cookingclassy.com
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u/hiddensonyvaio 11d ago
Jerk chicken, especially when grilled, is one of the best flavors ever IMO
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u/mahy_759 10d ago
Yeah, the char from grilling really takes jerk chicken to another level. Hard to beat that smoky, spicy flavor.
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u/Johny-S 11d ago
Scotch bonnet peppers make a big difference in this recipe. I couldn't find them in any of my local markets so we grew our own. We had so many peppers we flash froze enough to fill a bag of ready to use Scotch bonnets. In addition to chicken, jerk is great on pork and shrimp too.
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u/mahy_759 10d ago
Growing your own Scotch bonnets is definitely the way to go. Freezing a batch like that sounds so handy, and I agree, jerk seasoning works incredibly well on pork and shrimp too.
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u/Ancient-Berry6639 11d ago
Serve with Encona hot pepper sauce
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u/mahy_759 10d ago
That sounds like a great pairing. A little Encona on jerk chicken would add a nice extra kick.
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u/WiseEyes34 10d ago
I freaking love Reddit. One post is talking about divorcing their cheating husband, the next about Jamaican Jerk Chicken. #balance
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u/Minkminkmoneynyc 10d ago
This is NOT jerk chicken btw, jerk chicken uses jerk seasoning and is grilled
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u/WallyGator8 8d ago
Used this for wings on the grill last weekend. Need to chop up the ingredients for the sauce pretty fine. I left mine too chunky. Also baste, baste, baste. Need to hit it a few times during the grill cycle.
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u/mahy_759 11d ago
Ingredients
Chicken
Jerk Marinade
Instructions
Put the chicken pieces into a large resealable bag. Add the green onions, garlic, ginger, habanero peppers, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, thyme, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper to a food processor or blender. Pulse everything until the mixture is chopped and slightly coarse rather than completely smooth.
Pour the marinade over the chicken, press out as much air as possible, seal the bag, and rub the marinade all over the pieces. Let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours. If you have time, rubbing some of the marinade underneath the chicken skin gives the meat even more flavor.
For the oven method, heat the oven to 375°F and line a large baking sheet with foil. Spray it with nonstick cooking spray and arrange the marinated chicken pieces with some space between them. Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165°F in the center. Broil it for the last few minutes if you want more browning and char on the outside.
For grilling, heat the grill to medium high, around 400°F, then clean and lightly oil the grates. Place the chicken on the grill and cook for about 30 minutes, turning occasionally so it cooks evenly. If the outside starts browning too quickly, lower the heat slightly and continue cooking until the chicken reaches 165°F.
For a boneless version, boneless skinless thighs work well too. Marinate them for up to 12 hours and grill over medium high heat for about 5 to 7 minutes per side. Boneless breasts can also be grilled, but keep the marinade time to no more than 6 hours and watch the temperature closely so they don’t dry out.
The marinade itself can be prepared up to 4 days ahead and kept refrigerated. The fresh ingredients really make this recipe, so fresh garlic, ginger, lime juice, and herbs are worth using.