Go Back Email Link
Grilled jerk chicken with Caribbean spices
Print Recipe

Jerk Chicken

Caribbean jerk chicken with homemade marinade featuring scotch bonnet peppers, allspice, thyme, and citrus. Marinated and grilled to perfection.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 5 scallions roughly chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves roughly chopped
  • 1 small onion roughly chopped
  • 3 Scotch Bonnet or Habanero Peppers seeded
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar packed
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 2 teaspoons dried
  • 2 teaspoons ground allspice
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
  • 2-3 lbs chicken

Instructions

  • Roughly chop scallions, garlic, and onion. Place into blender.
  • Add sugar, thyme, allspice, pepper, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and dry mustard to blender.
  • Add lime juice, orange juice, soy sauce, and olive oil to blender.
  • Remove stem and seeds from habanero peppers and add to blender. Wear rubber gloves when handling peppers.
  • Pulse blender until marinade is smooth.
  • Place chicken into a large zip-top plastic bag and cover with marinade.
  • Refrigerate chicken for 4-24 hours, turning chicken a couple of times while it marinates.
  • Preheat grill to medium-high. If using charcoal, place coals to one side for indirect heat area.
  • Cook chicken 15-20 minutes over medium-high direct heat, turning to brown all sides.
  • Move chicken to indirect heat side, close lid, and cook another 15-20 minutes until juices run clear.
  • Serve over rice with favorite sides.

Notes

The longer the chicken marinates, the more flavorful it will be. Use rubber gloves when handling habanero peppers to avoid skin irritation. This recipe is inspired by authentic Caribbean jerk chicken.