Best 5 Authentic Jerk Chicken Recipes

Embark on a tantalizing culinary journey with authentic Jamaican jerk chicken, a dish that embodies the vibrant flavors of the Caribbean. This flavorful dish is renowned for its bold, spicy, and smoky profile, achieved through a unique blend of herbs, spices, and the traditional method of cooking over pimento wood. Our comprehensive guide presents a classic jerk chicken recipe, along with variations that cater to different preferences and dietary restrictions. Discover the secrets of creating the perfect marinade, selecting the right cut of chicken, and mastering the art of grilling or baking jerk chicken to achieve succulent, juicy meat infused with authentic Jamaican flavors.

Let's cook with our recipes!

A TASTE OF JAMAICA: AUTHENTIC JAMAICAN JERK CHICKEN - A RECIPE BY EXECUTIVE CHEF DWIGHT MORRIS

A Taste of Jamaica: Authentic Jamaican Jerk Chicken - A Recipe by Executive Chef Dwight Morris image

The most authentic Jamaican jerk chicken recipe you'll find without traveling to Jamaica.

Provided by Chef Dwight Morris (shared with his permission)

Time 40m

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

1 tbsp ground thyme or 2 tbsp thyme leaves
1 or 2 Scotch bonnet peppers (Habanero if you cannot source Scotch bonnet, but it won't be authentic) BOTH ARE EXTREMELY HOT!
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1-2 bunches green onions (6 to 12)
salt and pepper to taste (at least 1 tsp Kosher or sea salt)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2teaspoon ginger minced
2 tsp allspice
6-8 garlic cloves
2 tbsp Jerk paste (above)
2/3 cup (5 oz) pineapple juice
3/4 cup (6 oz) ketchup
6 oz Red Stripe beer (you can find it at BevMo!)
one chicken, cut up into pieces (preferably organic)

Steps:

Place all ingredients for base in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
Use to marinate chicken for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight, before cooking on the barbecue.
Grill on the barbecue until fully cooked.
Add all ingredients listed for the Jerk sauce to a pan over low heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, stirring often. Add more juice or beer to thin the sauce, alternatively, simmer longer for a thicker sauce.
Spoon this sauce over the cooked jerk chicken, serving extra for those who want a little more.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 208 calories, Carbohydrate 36 grams carbohydrates, Cholesterol 20 milligrams cholesterol, Fat 3 grams fat, Fiber 2 grams fiber, Protein 7 grams protein, SaturatedFat 1 grams saturated fat, ServingSize 1, Sodium 567 grams sodium, Sugar 28 grams sugar, TransFat 0 grams trans fat, UnsaturatedFat 2 grams unsaturated fat

JERK CHICKEN RECIPE

Jerk Chicken Recipe image

Jerk chicken is a classic Jamaican dish enjoyed by many people, yardies, and foreigners alike. This authentic Jamaican jerk recipe has a secret ingredient and tasty homemade marinade seasoning.

Provided by Admin

Categories Dinner

Time 1h10m

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

1 1/4 pound chicken
4 1/4 cup water
3/4 cup Homemade Jerk Chicken Marinade
1/2 cup vinegar
1 cube maggie chicken bouillon
3 tablespon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 medium onion (finely chopped)
1 1/2 tablespoon jerk seasoning
1 teaspoon browning
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Steps:

Add vinegar and water to a bowl then wash chicken thoroughly. After washing, drain the chicken and pat dry with a paper towel or clean cloth.
Pour homemade marinade over chicken and let it sit for 15 minutes or more. If you have no home-made marinade use grace or walkerswood jerk seasoning along with onion, soy sauce, cinnamon, maggie cube, browning, and brown sugar.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 300 cal

JERK CHICKEN

Jerk Chicken image

Done right, jerk chicken is one of the great barbecue traditions of the world, up there with Texas brisket and Chinese char siu. It is Jamaica to the bone, aromatic and smoky, sweet but insistently hot. All of its traditional ingredients grow in the island's lush green interior: fresh ginger, thyme and scallions; Scotch bonnet peppers; and the sweet wood of the allspice tree, which burns to a fragrant smoke. "It's not a sauce, it's a procedure," Jerome Williams, a Jamaican-born Brooklyn resident, told The Times in 2008 on a Sunday in Prospect Park, where families arrive as early as 6 a.m. for lakeside grilling spots, a few of which are actually authorized by the parks department. "It has to be hot, but it cannot only be hot, or you get no joy from it." This recipe delivers that joy.

Provided by Julia Moskin

Categories dinner, lunch, main course

Time 1h30m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

2 3 1/2- to 4-pound chickens, quartered, or 8 whole legs, or 5 to 6 pounds bone-in, skin-on thighs
1 large bunch scallions (about 8), white and green parts
2 shallots, peeled and halved
4 to 6 Scotch bonnet chili peppers, stems removed, or habaneros
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried
2 tablespoons ground allspice, more for sprinkling
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt, more for sprinkling
1 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar
Freshly squeezed juice of 2 limes

Steps:

At least 1 day before cooking, pat chicken dry with paper towels. Combine remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor and grind to a coarse paste. Slather all over chicken, including under skin. Refrigerate 12 to 36 hours. Bring to room temperature before cooking and lightly sprinkle with more salt and ground allspice.
Prepare a charcoal grill: Clean and oil grates, and preheat to medium heat using one chimney of charcoal. The temperature can start as high as 300 degrees and go as low as 250. For best results, coals should be at least 12 inches away from chicken. If necessary, push coals to one side of grill to create indirect heat. Add two large handfuls of soaked pimento (allspice) wood sticks and chips (see note) or other aromatic wood chips to coals, then close grill. When thick white smoke billows from grill, place chicken on grate, skin side up, and cover. Let cook undisturbed for 30 to 35 minutes.
Uncover grill. Chicken will be golden and mahogany in places. Chicken thighs may already be cooked through. For other cuts, turn chicken over and add more wood chips, and charcoal if needed. Cover and continue cooking, checking and turning every 10 minutes. Jerk chicken is done when skin is burnished brown and chicken juices are completely clear, with no pink near the bone. For large pieces, this can take up to an hour. Serve hot or warm, with rice and beans.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 790, UnsaturatedFat 40 grams, Carbohydrate 11 grams, Fat 58 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 55 grams, SaturatedFat 13 grams, Sodium 429 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams, TransFat 0 grams

AUTHENTIC JAMAICAN JERK CHICKEN

Authentic Jamaican Jerk Chicken image

Jerk used to refer to the slow-cook, smoking method used for preparing meat in Caribbean cuisine, but in modern days refers to the spices used to prepare the meat before cooking.

Provided by John Mitzewich

Categories Entree Dinner

Time 6h50m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

1 onion, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup chopped scallion
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 habanero or Scotch bonnet (very hot), or jalapeno (milder), seeded, finely chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 whole chicken , cut in sections

Steps:

Gather the ingredients.
Combine all ingredients (except chicken) in a food processor , and process until a smooth puree forms.
Put chicken in a large bowl and pour marinade over. Stir chicken pieces to coat completely; cover and marinate at least 6 hours or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
Prepare a gas or charcoal grill on medium heat (350 F to 375 F) for direct/indirect grilling. Remove chicken from jerk marinade. Place chicken skin-side down on the direct side of the grill. Cover and cook for 15 minutes until the skin is charred and crisp, controlling any flare-ups on the grill. Turn the chicken over and move to the indirect side. Close the lid, and cook an additional 10 to 20 minutes, removing pieces as they become done.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 482 kcal, Carbohydrate 10 g, Cholesterol 152 mg, Fiber 2 g, Protein 48 g, SaturatedFat 7 g, Sodium 897 mg, Sugar 6 g, Fat 27 g, ServingSize four servings, UnsaturatedFat 0 g

JERK CHICKEN

Jerk Chicken image

Provided by Jeff Mauro, host of Sandwich King

Categories main-dish

Time 4h35m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 24

Ingredients

1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 scallions, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 habanero or scotch bonnet chile, seeded
Kosher salt
Vegetable oil, for drizzling and oiling the pan
8 pieces mixed chicken thighs and breasts, boneless and skin on
8 pieces mixed chicken thighs and breasts, boneless and skin on
Mango Chutney, recipe follows
Fresh cilantro leaves, for serving
1/3 cup dark raisins
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 mangos, cut into small dice
1 jalapeno, minced
Kosher salt
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon turmeric

Steps:

Combine the sugar, soy sauce, thyme, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, scallions, garlic, habanero and a pinch of salt together in a food processor and blend for a couple of minutes, scraping up any pieces that cling to the walls to make sure everything is blended evenly.
Drizzle veggie oil on the chicken and work the spice rub into the chicken, making sure to put the mixture under the skin as well. Cover and let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
Oil and preheat a grill pan over medium heat. Grill the chicken skin-side down, flipping halfway through, 5 to 8 minutes per side. Serve with the Mango Chutney and cilantro.
Mix together the raisins, sugar, ginger, garlic, mangos, jalapenos and salt to taste in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
Combine the mango mixture with the vinegar and turmeric in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent the chutney from sticking to the pan, until thickened and thoroughly combined, about 20 minutes.

Tips:

Choose the right chicken: Use a whole chicken or chicken pieces with the skin on. This will help the chicken stay moist and flavorful during cooking.
Make sure your jerk marinade is flavorful: Use a combination of spices, herbs, and citrus juices to create a flavorful marinade. Be sure to let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight, to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat.
Cook the chicken over indirect heat: This will help prevent the chicken from drying out. If you're using a charcoal grill, place the chicken on the indirect side of the grill, away from the coals. If you're using a gas grill, turn off one or two of the burners and place the chicken on the side of the grill that's not lit.
Cook the chicken until it's cooked through: The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit. You can check the temperature using a meat thermometer.
Let the chicken rest before serving: This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the chicken, making it more tender and flavorful.

Conclusion:

Authentic jerk chicken is a delicious and flavorful dish that is perfect for any occasion. By following these tips, you can easily make authentic jerk chicken at home. So fire up your grill and get started!