Authentic Jamaican Jerk Chicken Recipe
Jerk chicken is Jamaica's most famous dish: chicken marinated in a fiery blend of Scotch bonnet peppers, allspice (pimento), thyme, and scallion, then grilled until the skin is smoky and crisp. The secret is time — a long marinade and a slow grill.
Ingredients
- 3–4 lbs chicken (leg quarters or a whole chicken cut in pieces)
- 1/4 cup Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning Hot & Spicy — or the Mild version if you prefer less heat (homemade alternative: 2 tbsp Betapac Jamaican Jerk Spice Powder plus fresh scallion, thyme, garlic, and a chopped Scotch bonnet pepper)
- 2 tbsp Walkerswood Jerk Marinade (optional, for extra depth)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Preparation
1. Marinate. Score the chicken pieces lightly so the seasoning penetrates. Rub with the jerk seasoning, marinade, soy sauce, oil, lime juice, and sugar. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours — overnight is best.
2. Grill low and slow. Heat the grill to medium (about 325–350°F). Cook the chicken skin-side up first, turning every 10 minutes, for 45–60 minutes until the juices run clear and the skin is dark and crisp at the edges. For oven jerk, roast at 375°F for 50–60 minutes and finish under the broiler for 2–3 minutes.
3. Rest and chop. Rest 10 minutes, then chop into pieces the Jamaican way, bones and all.
How to serve it
Serve with rice and peas, festival, or hard dough bread, and a cold drink to tame the heat. Extra jerk sauce or pepper sauce on the side is never a bad idea.
Tips
- Do not rush the marinade: jerk flavor comes from hours of contact, not minutes.
- Indirect heat prevents burning: the sugar and spices char fast over direct flames.
- Freeze a batch: marinated raw chicken freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.
Find jerk seasonings, marinades, and Scotch bonnet peppers in our Jamaica collection.
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