Recipes

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

  • Serves

    serves 8

MATT TAYLOR-GROSS

Full of fiery chiles and warm spices, the all-purpose Jamaican seasoning for this dish can be used as a rub on pork, goat, fish, and vegetables, as well as chicken. This recipe first appeared in the 2012 SAVEUR 100, with the article Jerk Chicken.

What You Will Need

Ingredients

  • 34 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 34 cup ground allspice
  • 34 cup minced scallions
  • 13 cup ground black pepper
  • 14 cup kosher salt
  • 14 cup minced ginger
  • 14 cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp. dried thyme
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
  • 12 tsp. ground cloves
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles, stemmed and minced
  • 2 (3-4) lb. chickens, each quartered

Instructions

Step 1

Combine sugar, allspice, scallions, oil, pepper, salt, ginger, juice, soy sauce, thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, garlic, and chiles in a bowl. Add chicken; toss to coat in jerk marinade. Cover with plastic wrap; chill at least 6 hours, or overnight.

Step 2

Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill to medium. (Alternatively, heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat.) Add chicken, skin side down; cook, turning once, until marinade forms a crust on the outside, about 8 minutes. Cover grill; continue cooking until cooked through, about 40 minutes. (Alternatively, transfer chicken to a foil-lined baking sheet; bake in a 350° oven until done.)

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