Caymanian-Style Jerk Chicken

  • Level: Intermediate
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Total: 9 hr 35 min (includes marinating time)
  • Active: 1 hr
Jerk is a style of cooking originally from Jamaica, but it is popular all over the Caribbean. Jerk seasoning, or Jamaican jerk season, is a dry or wet seasoning, typically a blend of chile peppers, garlic, onions, spices (allspice, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and pepper) and herbs, like thyme. Traditionally, jerk meat is marinated in spices and slow-cooked on green pimiento wood over hot coals. My version is inspired by a family trip to Grand Cayman Island, where I was able to learn from one of the masters, Chef Luigi Moacsin. It takes inspiration from the original, but can be made on a standard outdoor grill or a grill pan indoors.
Advertisement

Ingredients

10 seasoning peppers or mini multicolored bell peppers

2 to 3 Scotch bonnet peppers (or up to 6, depending on how spicy you like it)

8 cloves garlic

2 bunches scallions, chopped

1/2 cup ground allspice

1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon whole allspice berries

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 cup orange or pineapple juice (fresh is great, but bottled is fine)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce, or more as needed

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Kosher salt

One 5- to 6-pound chicken, cut into quarters (leg/thigh and breast/wing)

Vegetable oil, for greasing

Sliced hard dough bread or white bread, to serve

Ketchup, to serve

Directions

  1. In a food processor, place the seasoning and Scotch bonnet peppers, garlic and scallions and process until chunky. Add the ground allspice, brown sugar, thyme, allspice berries, cinnamon and nutmeg, then process. Add the juice, olive oil, soy sauce, black pepper and 1 tablespoon salt and process until a thick paste is formed, clingy enough to stick to the back of a spoon. (If it’s too thick, thin with more soy sauce.)
  2. Scrape half of the paste into a large shallow dish with a lid. Add the chicken and top with the remaining paste. Spread the paste, making sure each piece of chicken gets a little attention. Cover and marinate in the fridge overnight, up to 24 hours.
  3. Prepare the grill with one hot and one unheated side. This works best on a charcoal grill or a gas grill with one burner turned off.
  4. Oil the grill grates liberally with the vegetable oil. Place the chicken skin-side up on the cool side of the grill and close the lid.
  5. Grill, rotating the pieces every 10 minutes to ensure even exposure to the hot side of the grill, until the breasts register 165 degrees F and the thighs register 170 degrees F, 40 to 45 minutes for the breasts and 30 to 35 minutes for the thighs. Move the chicken to the hot side of the grill, flip it skin-side down, and grill until the skin is charred and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes.
  6. Serve immediately with some good ol’ white bread (or classic hard dough bread, if you can find it!) from the bag and ketchup to dunk it.

Cook’s Note

If cooking indoors, heat a double-burner cast-iron grill pan on low heat. Add the chicken to the grill pan and cover with a large inverted metal bowl. Crank up the grill before flipping to get the skin charred and crispy.

Let's Get Cooking!

Sign up for the Recipe of the Day newsletter to receive editor-picked recipes,tips and videos delivered to your inbox daily. Privacy Policy

Thanks for subscribing to the Recipe of the Day newsletter. Check out all our other great newsletters from Easy Recipes, Healthy Eating Ideas and Chef Recipe Videos.

We're sorry, there was an error signing you up. Please try again later.

Advertisement

Sheba Baby

I made the paste this morning and the chicken is thawing. I will coat the chicken in the paste tonight and bake it off tomorrow. Just based on the flavor of the paste, I gave this 5 stars. It is phenomenal and would be great on pork or salmon as well. I used only about half of the allspice that was called for, and it is just right to me. Can't wait until tomorrow for dinner!!!!

See All Reviews