Authentic Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Name: Authentic Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 13 h 50 min
Yield: 4–6 servings
Cuisine: Jamaican
Ingredients: 3–4 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs and legs); 3–4 scotch bonnet peppers; 6 green onions (scallions); 4 cloves garlic; 1-inch piece fresh ginger; 1½ tsp ground allspice (pimento); 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves; ½ tsp ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp ground nutmeg; 2 tbsp brown sugar; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; Juice of 2 limes; 1 tbsp white vinegar; 1 tsp black pepper; ½ tsp salt; Pimento wood chips for smoking (or hickory/apple wood)

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True Jamaican jerk chicken marinated overnight in scotch bonnet peppers, allspice, and fresh thyme, then grilled over charcoal with pimento wood chips.

13 hr 50 min

cook 1 hr 30 min

4–6 servings

Jamaican

Ingredients

Instructions

Make the jerk marinade: blend scotch bonnets, scallions, garlic, ginger, allspice, thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, soy sauce, oil, lime juice, vinegar, pepper, and salt until a smooth paste forms.
Score the chicken deeply with a sharp knife — cut 1-inch slits down to the bone on all pieces. This is critical for flavor penetration.
Coat the chicken thoroughly with the marinade, working it into every cut and under the skin.
Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 12 hours, ideally 24 hours.
Prepare a two-zone charcoal grill: hot coals on one side, no coals on the other. Add soaked pimento or hickory wood chips directly to the coals.
Cook chicken over indirect heat (lid closed) at 300–350°F for 60–75 minutes, turning every 20 minutes and basting with reserved marinade.
Move chicken over direct heat for 5–7 minutes to develop char and color, watching carefully.
Check internal temperature: thighs should reach 175°F+. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 380
Serving Size: 2 pieces