Let’s talk about how to make Jamaican jerk chicken, shall we? As we’ve discussed before, spicy doesn’t always mean “hot” in cooking, though with Jamaican cuisine, as it is with the wonderful Caribbean, it often does bring that heat so many of us crave. This particular recipe brings the fiery heat in the form of scotch bonnet peppers, some of my favorites in terms of heat and flavor. You’ll also get an excellent level of overall spiciness. I’m sure this recipe will find a new place in your cooking rotation. We’re talking Jamaican Jerk Chicken, my friends, and it’s wonderful. This process is called “Jerking”. Over the years, the term has become more generic for any jerk recipe, referring not only to the original cooking process, but to the familiar spicy rubs and blends, jerk marinade and jerk sauce. Boom! Done! Looks wonderful, doesn’t it? I love Jamaican jerk chicken! This is my favorite recipe out there. Works with any cut of chicken - chicken legs, chicken thighs, leg quarters, even whole chicken. You can use any type of chicken for the recipe, though cooking times will vary, depending on the chicken chosen, particularly thick chicken breast. Marinate the Chicken. Add the chicken to a large bowl or into a sealable baggie. Pour the marinade over the chicken and rub it down. You want to completely cover the chicken with the marinade. You can marinate for 30 minutes if you don’t have the time, though you won’t get quite the flavor penetration. When you’re ready to cook, heat up your grill to medium high heat or heat your oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. Alternatively, you can bake the chicken for 35-40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Grilling is more traditional, but baking is easy. Serve the Jerk Chicken. Remove from heat and serve them up. I like to squeeze a bit of lime juice over the top of my chicken, though see my tips below for another serving method. That’s it, my friends! I hope you enjoy this Jamaican jerk chicken recipe! So good! If you’d like more heat, use more scotch bonnet peppers, or save some of the marinade to heat as a finishing sauce. Or, include some hotter peppers or chili powders/flakes into the marinade. Spice it up, my friends! Use milder peppers for an overall milder marinade and resulting flavor. It’s also great with a fresh mango salsa or tostones. I love it! If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #ChiliPepperMadness on Instagram so we can take a look. I always love to see all of your spicy inspirations. Thanks! – Mike H.
Authentic Recipes from Jamaica, by John DeMers (affiliate link, my friends!) Jamaican Cookbook – Traditional Jamaican Recipes Made Easy (affiliate link, my friends!) – No photos, but easy to follow with some good recipes. Original Flava, by Craig and Shaun McAnuff (affiliate link, my friends!)
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 6/12/23 to include new photos and information. It was originally published on 5/6/19.
