Name: Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients: 3 lbs chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks); 6 scotch bonnet peppers; 1 bunch scallions; 6 cloves garlic; 2 tbsp allspice (ground pimento); 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp brown sugar; 1 tbsp black pepper; 1 tsp cinnamon; 1 tsp nutmeg; 1/4 cup lime juice; 1/4 cup vegetable oil; Pimento wood chips (if grilling)

Marinated in scotch bonnet and allspice, smoked over pimento wood. Heat that has history.

The Cultural Story

Jerk cooking traces back to the Maroons — escaped enslaved Africans who lived in Jamaica's Blue Mountains. They developed the technique of slow-smoking meat over pimento wood to preserve it during their fight for freedom. The combination of scotch bonnet, allspice (pimento), thyme, and smoke is uniquely Jamaican. Today, jerk pans line every road in Jamaica, and the smoke is the first thing you smell when you land.

Ingredients

3 lbs chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks)
6 scotch bonnet peppers
1 bunch scallions
6 cloves garlic
2 tbsp allspice (ground pimento)
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Pimento wood chips (if grilling)

Instructions

1Blend scotch bonnets, scallions, garlic, allspice, thyme, soy sauce, brown sugar, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, lime juice, and oil into a thick paste.
2Score the chicken deeply — cuts should reach the bone so the marinade penetrates.
3Rub the jerk paste all over and into every cut. Marinate for at least 4 hours. Overnight is better.
4If using a grill: set up for indirect heat. Add pimento wood chips. Grill chicken on indirect side for 60-90 minutes, turning every 20 minutes.
5If using an oven: bake at 375°F for 45 minutes, then broil for 10 minutes to char the outside.
6The chicken should be dark, charred in spots, and falling off the bone. Serve with rice and peas, festival (fried dumplings), and a cold Red Stripe.

Community Reviews (2)

Devon B. ★★★★★

Born and raised in Kingston. This is legit. Only change I would make is adding more allspice — you can never have too much pimento in jerk.

Ashley P. ★★★★☆

Used the oven method since I don't have a grill. Still incredible. The marinade overnight is key — do not skip that step.

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