The flavor combinations of this dish are unmatched. Beautiful and delicious all at the same time.
We love Caribbean cuisine. There is usually a little heat matched against a little sweet. The allspice provides an authentic flavor that reflects Jamaica’s grilling method, which is commonly done with pimento (allspice) wood on an open flame. Serve with coconut rice and mango salsa for an unforgettable Caribbean feast.
How To Make Jamaican Jerk Chicken
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The Ingredients You Will Need
Although there are quite a few ingredients needed to create the jerk marinade, none of them are hard to find. Here’s what you’ll need to have on hand:
For the Marinade
Citrus – Orange juice and lemon juice, preferably freshly squeezed.
Vinegar – We recommend apple cider vinegar, but white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or even distilled white vinegar would work.
Oil – Vegetable, olive, or canola are all good options.
Brown sugar – Dark or light are both fine.
Ginger – Fresh is best.
Peppers – Scotch bonnet, habanero, or jalapeño. Chopped. Keep the seeds for more heat.
Soy sauce – Regular of low-sodium are both fine.
Seasonings – Salt, pepper, allspice, ground cloves, cinnamon, dried thyme, yellow mustard.
For the Chicken
Chicken – Bone-in, skin-on whole chicken legs are a great option, but all chicken parts will work. We don’t recommend boneless and skinless.
Rice – Coconut rice is the perfect complement to the slight heat from the marinade.
Salsa – Mango is the way to go!
EXPERT TIP: The marinade should resemble thick tomato sauce. If it’s too thick, you can thin it with a little extra orange juice or lime juice. The longer you allow the chicken to chill with the marinade, the better the flavor will be!
Tips for Making Perfect Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Marinate for Flavor – For the best flavor, marinate the chicken legs in a homemade jerk marinade for at least 4 to 6 hours, or ideally overnight. Rub the marinade into the chicken, even under the skin, if possible.
Use a Two-Zone Grill Setup – When grilling, create a two-zone setup on your grill by having one side on high heat and the other on low. Start by baking the chicken legs over indirect high heat, then move them to the direct-heat side to get them lightly charred.
Baste While Grilling – During the grilling process, baste the chicken legs with additional jerk marinade or a mixture of oil and lime juice to keep them moist and enhance the flavor. This also helps develop a delicious glaze on the skin.
Check for Doneness – Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked perfectly; the internal temperature should reach 165°F (75°C). Allow the chicken to rest for about 5-10 minutes after grilling to let the juices redistribute, resulting in tender and flavorful meat.
EXPERT TIP: Allowing the chicken the chill in the marinade for at least 4 to 6 hours is crucial to achieving a deeply flavorful jerk taste. Even better, let it marinate overnight.
How To Serve
This dish is stunning when the chicken is placed on a large serving platter.
For a beautiful presentation, cut a few limes in half and place them on the grill, cut side down.
And the coconut rice and homemade mango salsa bring it all together. It’s great for a delicious meal at home with the family, but, it’s also ideal for serving to guests.
EXPERT TIP: Take extra care when placing the chicken on the direct-heat side. If you want more char on the skin side, you may need to liberally coat the grates with cooking spray, or oil, because the skin will likely stick and tear off. We don’t grill over direct heat with the skin side down. The skin will still crisp up without touching the grates.
Other Caribbean-Style Recipes to Try
Can’t get to the Caribbean? Try these delicious recipes and they will transport you and your family to the Islands!
- Caribbean-Style Johnnycakes
- Jamaican Shrimp Curry
- Coconut-Curry Grilled Chicken Wings
- Jamaican-Style Curry Turkey Burgers with Grilled Pineapple
- Homemade Mango Salsa
- Easy Coconut Rice
- Jamaican Curry Powder
These are all amazing. But, in the meantime, isn’t this chicken dinner calling your name?
The depth of flavor with this jerk chicken is nothing short of amazing. If desired, you could do this with pork, too. Jerk pork chops are amazing!
We highly recommend serving the dish with the easy coconut rice and mango salsa.
This dish is as beautiful in presentation as it is in taste! Perfect for serving guests!
Ready to make the best chicken dinner this side of Montego Bay? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Equipment
- Gas, charcoal, or electric grill
Ingredients
- ¼ cup lime juice extra, if needed
- 1 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- ½ cup brown sugar light or dark
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger chopped
- 4 Scotch bonnets stemmed, roughly chopped
- 2 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp ground mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 8 scallions roughly chopped
- 6 whole chicken legs
- coconut rice for serving
- mango salsa for serving
Instructions
- Place all ingredients (except chicken, rice, and salsa) in your food processor. Process until smooth. The consistency should be like thick tomato sauce. If too thick, add a little extra lime or orange juice.¼ cup lime juice, 1 tbsp orange juice, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 2 tsp soy sauce, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 tbsp fresh ginger, 4 Scotch bonnets, 2 tsp allspice, 1 tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 2 tsp dried thyme, 1 tbsp ground mustard, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 8 scallions
- Place the chicken in a large dish and cover with the marinade. (you may need to use two dishes). Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for no less than 4 hours or up to overnight.6 whole chicken legs
- Set up your grill to a 2-zone heat set-up with no heat on one side and direct heat on the other side. Place the chicken, skin-side down, on the no-heat side. Close the grill lid and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, basting with extra marinade a time or two.
- Lift the grill lid and carefully flip the chicken over, still on the no-heat side. Close the lid and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reaches 165 to 175°F.
- Carefully move the chicken to the direct heat side and cook until lightly charred, about 3 to 5 minutes. See NOTES about cooking the skin on the direct-heat side.
- Remove the chicken from the grill and serve immediately with the coconut rice and mango salsa.coconut rice, mango salsa
cant find your mango sauce recipe were can i find it would like to try it
Hi Freddie, you can just click the link in the ingredients list, but, we’ll also include it here. It’s really good! We hope you make it! Mango Salsa
Can you bake this in the oven?
Hi Denise! Absolutely. You can bake them in a 400°F oven for about 35 to 45 minutes, flipping halfway through. If possible, use a thermometer to ensure the internal temp reaches 165 to 170°F. For ease of baking, line a baking pan with foil. To get the skin extra crispy, you can finish them off (skin-side up) under the broiler, but be sure to watch them, the skin will brown quickly! Hope this helps and let us know if you make the chicken. It’s soooo good! Best, Kris & Wesley