Easy Grilled Jerk Chicken

Jerk chicken needs heat, but it also needs balance. The marinade should be spicy, yes, but also sweet and aromatic with allspice and thyme. This version doesn’t require a specialty grill or pimento wood: a regular gas or charcoal grill works fine as long as you manage the heat so the chicken cooks through without burning the marinade. A keeper.

Marinate the chicken for at least four hours, longer if possible. The acid in the lime juice and the scotch bonnet peppers need time to penetrate the meat. Use bone-in, skin-on thighs for the best flavor and texture: breasts dry out too easily on the grill. Serve with rice and peas or simple grilled vegetables. Leftovers are great chopped and used in wraps or salads.

Blend the Jerk Paste and Marinate Overnight

Combine green onions, garlic, Scotch bonnet pepper, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, thyme, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, salt, and oil in a blender and process until you have a thick paste. Score the chicken leg quarters with deep cuts to the bone, then rub the paste everywhere, working it into every cut. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, though overnight is far better since the allspice and thyme need time to penetrate the meat.

Char Over Direct Heat, Then Finish on Indirect

Set up the grill with a hot zone and a cooler indirect zone. Grill the chicken over direct heat for 5 minutes per side to char the exterior and build a dark, spiced crust. Then move the pieces to indirect heat, close the lid, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees. For an oven alternative, bake on a wire rack over a sheet pan at 400 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes, then broil for 3 minutes to get that char.

Rest Briefly and Serve with Lime

Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. The resting time lets the juices settle back into the meat after the high heat of the grill. Serve with fresh lime wedges for squeezing over each piece. The acidity of the lime brightens all the warm spices and cuts alongside the richness of the dark meat.

Easy Grilled Jerk Chicken

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• Author: Kalle Bergman
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings

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Description

Jerk chicken is Jamaica in a single bite — fiery Scotch bonnet heat, warm allspice, thyme, and a charred crust that gives way to juicy, deeply seasoned meat. Real jerk is not just hot. The spice blend is complex and layered, with sweetness from brown sugar, tang from lime, and that unmistakable allspice backbone that makes it different from any other grilled chicken on earth.

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Ingredients

• 3 lbs chicken leg quarters (thighs and drumsticks)
• 6 green onions, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, seeded for less heat
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Lime wedges for serving

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Instructions

1. Blend green onions, garlic, Scotch bonnet, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, thyme, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, salt, and oil in a blender until a thick paste forms.
2. Score the chicken pieces with deep cuts to the bone. Rub the jerk paste all over and into every cut. Marinate refrigerated for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
3. Preheat grill to medium-high heat with a cooler zone set up for indirect cooking. Alternatively, preheat oven to 400F.
4. Grill the chicken over direct heat for 5 minutes per side to char the exterior. Move to indirect heat, close the lid, and cook 25 to 30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 175F. For oven: bake on a wire rack over a sheet pan for 40 to 45 minutes, then broil 3 minutes to char.
5. Rest the chicken 5 minutes before serving with lime wedges.

Notes

• Marinating overnight is not a suggestion — the allspice and thyme need time to penetrate the meat, and the difference between 1 hour and 12 hours is enormous.
• Scotch bonnet peppers are extremely hot. Seed them for manageable heat, or use a full pepper with seeds if you want the authentic burn.
• Leg quarters are the traditional cut because dark meat stays juicy over high heat. Breasts dry out and miss the point entirely.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: Jamaican

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 440
• Sugar: 8
• Sodium: 680
• Fat: 24
• Carbohydrates: 12
• Fiber: 1
• Protein: 38
• Cholesterol: 145

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