Jerk Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

• 3-4 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 bunch scallions, roughly chopped
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 Scotch bonnet peppers, stemmed (and seeded, if you want to reduce the heat)
• 1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp whole allspice berries
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Make the Marinade

This marinade needs to be made in a blender or food processor to break down the whole spices and aromatics into a paste.

Combine all ingredients except for the chicken in the blender: scallions, garlic, Scotch bonnets, thyme, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, allspice berries, ginger, salt, peppercorns, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

Blend on high until the mixture forms a relatively smooth, thick paste. You might need to scrape down the sides a couple of times.

Marinate the Chicken Overnight

Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl or baking dish. Pour the jerk marinade over the chicken and use your hands to rub it into every part of the chicken, including under the skin. Wear gloves for this step; the Scotch bonnet oils are potent and will stay on your hands.

Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or up to 24. This long marinade time is essential.

Grill the Chicken

Set up your grill for two-zone, indirect cooking and preheat to medium, around 350-375F.

Take the chicken out of the marinade and let any excess drip off. Place the chicken pieces on the cooler side of the grill, skin-side up. Close the lid and cook for about 20-25 minutes.

Move the chicken to the hot, direct-heat side of the grill. Cook for another 10-15 minutes, flipping frequently, until the skin is charred in spots and the internal temperature reaches 175F. The char is a critical part of the flavor.

Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.

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Jerk Chicken

Authentic jerk is defined by the specific heat of Scotch bonnet peppers and the warm spice of allspice. This marinade is a thick paste that needs time to penetrate the chicken, so an overnight marinade is not optional – it's required for real flavor. The goal on the grill is a deep, smoky char.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Marination Time 12 hours hours

Total Time 12 hours hours 55 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

• 3-4 lbs bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 bunch scallions roughly chopped
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 Scotch bonnet peppers stemmed (and seeded, if you want to reduce the heat)
• 1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp whole allspice berries
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

• Add all marinade ingredients to blender: scallions, garlic, Scotch bonnets, thyme, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, allspice, ginger, salt, peppercorns, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
• Blend until smooth paste forms, scraping sides as needed.
• Place chicken thighs in large dish, rub marinade thoroughly all over and under skin.
• Cover and refrigerate 12-24 hours.
• Heat grill to 350-375°F with two-zone setup.
• Place chicken skin-side up on cool side, close lid and cook 20-25 minutes.
• Move to hot side, flip frequently and cook 10-15 minutes until charred and internal temp reaches 175°F.
• Rest 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Wear gloves when handling marinade due to hot peppers.

Charring is essential for authentic flavor.