Main CourseDinner

Jerk Chicken

Name: Jerk Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: caribbean
Ingredients: 4 pcs chicken thigh bone-in, skin-on; 2 pcs scotch bonnet pepper stemmed, seeded, roughly chopped; 0.5 pcs yellow onion roughly chopped; 4 pcs scallion roughly chopped; 4 clove garlic peeled; 20 g ginger peeled, roughly chopped; 60 ml soy sauce; 30 ml lime juice; 1 tbsp brown sugar packed; 1 tbsp allspice berry whole; 1 tbsp thyme fresh leaves; 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground; 0.5 tsp nutmeg ground; 0.5 tsp cinnamon ground; 1 tsp salt; 1 tbsp vegetable oil

This recipe delivers a vibrant and spicy jerk chicken with a deeply flavorful marinade. Chicken pieces are marinated and then baked, resulting in tender meat with a signature Caribbean spice profile.

An original recipe by Forkin

Total time: 1 hr 5 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Per serving: 508 kcal

Allergen information: may contain gluten and soy. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.

Mise en place

Ingredients

4 pcschicken thigh, bone-in, skin-on
1 tbspvegetable oil

marinade

2 pcsscotch bonnet pepper, stemmed, seeded, roughly chopped
0.5 pcsyellow onion, roughly chopped
4 pcsscallion, roughly chopped
4 clovegarlic, peeled
20 gginger, peeled, roughly chopped
60 mlsoy sauce
30 mllime juice
1 tbspbrown sugar, packed
1 tbspallspice berry, whole
1 tbspthyme, fresh leaves
1 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
0.5 tspnutmeg, ground
0.5 tspcinnamon, ground
1 tspsalt

Equipment

food processor · blender · baking sheet · cutting board · knife

The method

Step by step

1
Score the chicken thighs a few times on the skin side to help the marinade penetrate.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: Be careful not to cut too deep, just through the skin and a little into the meat.
2
Combine the scotch bonnet peppers, yellow onion, scallions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, allspice berries, thyme, black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt in a blender or food processor.
About 3 min
3
Blend the marinade ingredients until a smooth paste forms.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: Add a tiny splash of water if needed to help it blend.
4
Rub the jerk marinade generously all over the chicken thighs, ensuring it gets into the scored cuts.
About 3 min
Cook’s note: Wear gloves when handling scotch bonnet peppers to avoid skin irritation.
5
Place the marinated chicken in a container, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
Cook’s note: The longer the chicken marinates, the more flavor it will absorb.
6
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
About 10 min
7
Lightly grease a baking sheet with vegetable oil.
About 1 min
8
Arrange the marinated chicken thighs on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
About 1 min
9
Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is nicely browned and crispy.
About 45 min
Cook’s note: An instant-read thermometer should register 74°C (165°F) in the thickest part of the thigh.
10
Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Resting allows the juices to redistribute, keeping the chicken moist.

Per serving

Nutrition

68%Score

Calories: 508.4kcal
Protein: 54.1g
Carbs: 12.7g
Fat: 25.9g
Fibre: 2.1g
Sugar: 5.5g

Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.

Keep it good

Storage

Store leftover jerk chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Reheating

Reheat in the oven at 180°C (350°F) until warmed through, or in a microwave.