By Shireen Jamooji
November 1, 2023
Jamaican jerk chicken is a beloved dish known for its spicy and flavourful taste, made by marinating chicken in a special blend of herbs and spices, then grilling it to perfection. The result is a delicious, aromatic chicken dish with a hint of smokiness and a kick of heat.
10-12 bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks Jerk Chicken Marinade: 1 red onion, quartered 1 bunch green onions, cut into chunks 5 garlic cloves 2-3 Scotch bonnet or habanero chilli peppers (seeds and stems removed) 1 ½-inch piece of ginger, sliced
⅓ cup soy sauce 3 tbsp fresh lime juice 3 tbsp brown sugar 3 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried) 1 tbsp coarsely ground allspice berries (or 1 tsp ground allspice) 2 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp onion powder ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground nutmeg
Put all the Jerk Chicken Marinade ingredients in a food processor and blend until mostly smooth.
Pour the marinade over the chicken in a large resealable plastic bag.
Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours (for chicken breasts, marinate for up to 12 hours to avoid it becoming mushy).
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat 230°C and grease the grates with vegetable oil. If keeping the skin on, grill the chicken skin side down first.
Grill for 5-7 minutes per side with the lid closed, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked with an internal temperature of 80°C on a thermometer.
To make it in an oven, spread the pieces on a baking sheet with some space between them. Bake at 180 C for about 45 to 50 minutes
For a nice browning effect, you can broil the chicken during the last few minutes of cooking. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.