Best 6 Grilled Jerk Chicken Thighs Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

Grilled Jerk Chicken Thighs: A Caribbean Delight for Your Taste Buds

Embark on a culinary journey to the vibrant Caribbean with our tantalizing Grilled Jerk Chicken Thighs recipe. This delectable dish captures the essence of Jamaican cuisine, featuring a symphony of bold flavors that will tantalize your taste buds and transport you to the sun-kissed shores of the islands. Our recipe showcases succulent chicken thighs marinated in a flavorful jerk seasoning blend, expertly grilled to perfection. We've also included a zesty pineapple salsa and refreshing cucumber salad as accompaniments to complement the bold flavors of the chicken. Get ready to indulge in a Caribbean feast that will leave you craving more!

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

GRILLED JERK CHICKEN



Grilled Jerk Chicken image

Spicy, smoky and aromatic, Jerk chicken is Jamaica's most iconic dish.

Categories     Dinner

Time 1h

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 small yellow onion, cut into large chunks
2 scallions, quartered
2 Scotch bonnet or Habanero chili peppers, stemmed (and seeded, if desired; see note) and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2½ to 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks or breasts)
Lime wedges, for serving

Steps:

  • Make the marinade: In the bowl of a food processor, combine all of the ingredients except for the chicken. Process until the vegetables are finely puréed and the mixture is relatively smooth (the texture will be slightly gritty). Place the chicken pieces and the marinade in a large Ziploc bag; squeeze air out and seal tightly. Mash the chicken around to coat evenly with the marinade. Place the bag in a bowl (in case of leakage) and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature before grilling.
  • Preheat the grill to medium heat (about 350-375°F). Clean and oil the cooking grate. Place the chicken, skin side up, on the cooler side of the grill and cook, covered, turning and moving occasionally to prevent burning and flare-ups, for 35 to 40 minutes. If the skin is not yet crispy, move the chicken, skin side down, to the hotter side of the grill; cook, keeping a close watch to prevent burning, until the skin is rendered and crisp, a few minutes. Transfer the chicken to serving platter, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with lime wedges.
  • Note: Be very careful when working with Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers. They are extremely hot, and if you touch your eyes while handling them, it will be very painful. It's a good idea to wear disposable gloves or wash your hands very well when done. The heat comes from the seeds and membranes, so throw in the whole peppers for spicy jerk chicken. For a milder dish, remove the seeds and membranes from one or both of the peppers.
  • Note: If you don't have a grill (or grilling weather) the chicken can be roasted in the oven instead. Preheat the oven to 425°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up, and set an oven-proof rack on top. Spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray. Place the chicken on the rack, skin side up, and roast until lightly browned and cooked through, 40 to 45 minutes. Turn on broiler (leave the pan on the middle rack), and cook 1 to 3 minutes more, or until the skin is golden brown and crispy.

Nutrition Facts :

GRILLED JERK CHICKEN



Grilled Jerk Chicken image

How to Make Grilled Jerk Chicken

Yield Makes 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

For jerk marinade:
3 scallions, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
4 to 5 fresh Scotch bonnet or habanero chile, stemmed and seeded
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons ground allspice
2 teaspoons black pepper
3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
For chicken:
4 chicken breast halves with skin and bones (3 pounds), halved crosswise
2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks
Accompaniment: papaya salsa

Steps:

  • Make marinade:
  • Blend all marinade ingredients in a blender until smooth.
  • Marinate and grill chicken:
  • Divide chicken pieces and marinade between 2 sealable plastic bags. Seal bags, pressing out excess air, then turn bags over several times to distribute marinade. Put bags of chicken in a shallow pan and marinate, chilled, turning once or twice, 1 day.
  • Let chicken stand at room temperature 1 hour before cooking.
  • To cook chicken using a charcoal grill:
  • Open vents on bottom of grill and on lid. Light a large chimney of charcoal briquettes (about 100) and pour them evenly over 1 side of bottom rack (you will have a double or triple layer of charcoal).
  • When charcoal turns grayish white and you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds, sear chicken in batches on lightly oiled rack over coals until well browned on all sides, about 3 minutes per batch. Move chicken as seared to side of grill with no coals underneath, then cook, covered with lid, until cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes more.
  • To cook chicken using a gas grill:
  • Preheat burners on high, then adjust heat to moderate. Cook chicken until well browned on all sides, 15 to 20 minutes. Adjust heat to low and cook chicken, covered with lid, until cooked through, about 25 minutes more.
  • Serve chicken with salsa.

JERK RUBBED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH HOME-MADE MANGO-HABANERO HOT SAUCE



Jerk Rubbed Chicken Thighs with Home-Made Mango-Habanero Hot Sauce image

Provided by Bobby Flay

Categories     main-dish

Time 1h26m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 23

2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons ground ginger
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon cayenne powder
2 teaspoons coarse black pepper
2 teaspoons dry thyme
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ground cloves
8 chicken thighs
Sliced fresh mango
Homemade Mango Habanero Sauce, recipe follows
Cilantro leaves, for garnish
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 small Spanish onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped
1 habanero, chopped
1 cup white wine vinegar
Salt

Steps:

  • Combine all spices in a small bowl. Rub the skin side of the chicken with the rub and let rest for 30 minutes. Heat the grill to medium heat and grill the thighs, skin side down for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn the chicken, close the cover of the grill and move the chicken to the side (or cooler part) of the grill. Continue cooking for 6 to 7 minutes or until completely cooked through. Remove to a platter and let rest 5 minutes before serving. Serve fresh mango slices and Mango-Habanero Hot Sauce. Sprinkle leaves of cilantro on top.
  • Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, mangoes, habanero and vinegar and cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Place the mixture in a blender and blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add a few tablespoons of warm water or vinegar. Season with salt.

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

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

GRILLED JERK CHICKEN



Grilled Jerk Chicken image

Spicy Caribbean-style jerk chicken cooked slowly on a warm grill reminds me of my trips to the islands as a sailor. Good main. A little time consuming putting the marinade together but well worth it. Don't worry if you don't have all the ingredients, use what you have. You can double the dry ingredients and save for your next dinner party.

Provided by Blakester

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Chicken     Chicken Breast Recipes

Time 1h35m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 19

2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons ground sage
¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ cup white vinegar
½ cup fresh orange juice
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup olive oil
1 lime, juiced
1 cup finely chopped white onion
3 each green onions, diced
1 Scotch bonnet chile pepper, chopped
4 each skinless, boneless chicken breasts, trimmed

Steps:

  • Combine salt, garlic powder, sugar, allspice, thyme, cayenne, black pepper, sage, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a large bowl. While beating with a wire whisk, slowly add vinegar, orange juice, soy sauce, olive oil, and lime juice. Add onion, green onions, and chile pepper and mix well. Add chicken breasts, cover, and marinate for at least 1 hour, up to overnight.
  • Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate. Remove the chicken from the marinade; reserve.
  • Cook chicken on the preheated grill, basting with the reserved marinade frequently, until no longer pink in the center and juices run clear, 6 to 8 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the chicken. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Nutrition Facts : Calories 335 calories, Carbohydrate 20.5 g, Cholesterol 64.6 mg, Fat 17 g, Fiber 3.7 g, Protein 26.7 g, SaturatedFat 2.9 g, Sodium 4454.4 mg, Sugar 9.5 g

NO-FUSS JERK CHICKEN



No-Fuss Jerk Chicken image

Jerk chicken - spicy and grilled - is a dish for which Jamaica is justly famous, though it is made across the Caribbean basin and has been for more than 400 years. The pungent marinade includes lots of allspice (called pimento in the islands), black pepper and clove, but gets an even bigger kick from ultra-spicy yellow Scotch bonnet peppers, similar in shape and intensity to habanero chiles. You can certainly grill it in the island manner. But this easy recipe puts the chicken in the oven instead, which fills the kitchen with intoxicating flavors. Vacation on a plate.

Provided by David Tanis

Categories     dinner, weekday, main course

Time 1h15m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

2 tablespoons allspice berries
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
4 garlic cloves
2 Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles, halved, stems removed
6 scallions, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 2-inch piece ginger, thickly sliced
2 tablespoons soy sauce, optional
Juice of 2 large limes (about 4 tablespoons)
6 large chicken legs, leg and thigh attached

Steps:

  • Put allspice, thyme, garlic, chiles, scallions, peppercorns, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, soy sauce and lime juice in a blender or food processor and grind to a rough paste.
  • Put chicken in a baking dish, add seasoning paste and coat chicken well, using a spoon. Cover and marinate, refrigerated, for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
  • Heat oven to 350 degrees and bring chicken to room temperature. Turn chicken once more in marinade to coat well, then put baking dish in the oven, uncovered. Bake for 1 hour or until well browned and juices run clear when probed with a paring knife. Put dish under the broiler for a minute or so to char chicken slightly. Remove and serve with coconut rice, if desired.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 365, UnsaturatedFat 16 grams, Carbohydrate 9 grams, Fat 25 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 26 grams, SaturatedFat 7 grams, Sodium 482 milligrams, Sugar 2 grams, TransFat 0 grams

Tips:

  • Use a flavorful marinade: The key to great jerk chicken is the marinade, which infuses the chicken with complex flavors. Be sure to use a marinade that includes traditional Jamaican spices like allspice, thyme, and scotch bonnet peppers.
  • Let the chicken marinate for at least 24 hours: The longer the chicken marinates, the more flavorful it will be. For best results, marinate the chicken for at least 24 hours, or up to 3 days.
  • Cook the chicken over indirect heat: Jerk chicken is traditionally cooked over a charcoal grill, but you can also cook it in the oven or on a gas grill. If you're using a charcoal grill, set up a two-zone fire with the coals on one side of the grill and the chicken on the other side. This will help prevent the chicken from burning.
  • Baste the chicken with the marinade: Basting the chicken with the marinade while it cooks will help keep it moist and flavorful. Baste the chicken every few minutes, especially during the last few minutes of cooking.
  • Serve the chicken with traditional Jamaican sides: Jerk chicken is traditionally served with Jamaican rice and peas, coleslaw, and fried plantains. You can also serve it with other Caribbean sides like callaloo, ackee and saltfish, or bammy.

Conclusion:

Jerk chicken is a delicious and flavorful Jamaican dish that is perfect for any occasion. Whether you're cooking it for a backyard barbecue or a special dinner party, jerk chicken is sure to be a hit. With its complex flavors and tender, juicy meat, jerk chicken is a dish that everyone will love.

Related Topics