Jamaican Jerk Chicken
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Ready to whip up Jamaica’s most iconic dish? The most deliciously spicy, smoky, and aromatic jerk chicken is just a few steps away!
Jerk is a style of cooking native to Jamaica. Some people believe the term comes from the word charqui, a Spanish term for jerked or dried meat, which eventually became jerky in English; others claim it’s related to the constant turning or jerking of the meat to load it with the spice blend and cook it thoroughly. The ingredients for jerk chicken marinade—soy sauce, allspice, nutmeg, Chinese 5-spice powder, and Scotch bonnet peppers—exemplify Caribbean cooking, which is a distinct blend of African, European, Indian, and Asian flavors.
This grilled jerk chicken recipe, adapted from Food & Wine, is my go-to recipe. For best results, marinate the chicken overnight. The marinade is also great on beef, pork, or shrimp (although for shrimp, marinate for only 30 minutes to 1 hour), so feel free to double and freeze it for other uses. Pair jerk chicken with cilantro lime rice and a black bean salad for a lovely summer meal.
Table of Contents
“My Jamaican born husband said it was good. Enough said!!”
What You’ll Need To Make Jamaican Jerk Chicken
- Onion and scallions: Provide a base of aromatic flavor, adding depth and sweetness to the marinade.
- Scotch bonnet or Habanero chili peppers: These peppers are key for authentic jerk flavor, offering heat and a fruity spice that’s characteristic of the dish. Be careful when working with hot peppers. 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 you’re done.
- Garlic: Adds a pungent, earthy flavor.
- Chinese five-spice powder, allspice, dried thyme, ground nutmeg: This blend of spices delivers the signature jerk seasoning profile—warm, aromatic, and slightly sweet, with a hint of earthiness from the thyme.
- Soy sauce: Provides saltiness and umami, deepening the savory notes of the dish.
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks, or breasts): These cuts are ideal as they stay juicier during cooking. I recommend bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks over bone-in breasts for this recipe; the flavor is better and they are easier to grill without drying out. If you’d like to use bone-in chicken breasts, look for smaller ones (or cut large ones in half) so they won’t burn on the outside before the inside is fully cooked.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by making the marinade. Combine all of the ingredients except for the chicken in a food processor.
Process until the vegetables are finely pureed.
Place the chicken and marinade in a Ziploc freezer bag and let it marinate in the refrigerator at least eight hours or overnight.
Preheat the grill to medium heat (about 350°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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, jerk chicken can be roasted in the oven if a grill is unavailable. 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.
Jerk chicken is known for its spicy kick, primarily coming from Scotch bonnet or Habanero peppers. The level of heat can vary depending on the amount of chili used in the marinade. If you’re sensitive to spice or prefer a milder flavor, you can reduce the number of chili peppers or remove the seeds and membranes, where most of the heat resides.
These two peppers are varieties of the same chili pepper species, and they have a similar flavor and level of heat. Scotch bonnet peppers are native to the Caribbean and are used to make authentic jerk chicken, but they can be hard to find. Habanero peppers, grown primarily in Mexico, make a great substitute. 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.
Leftover Jerk Chicken is incredibly versatile and can be repurposed into a variety of delicious meals. Consider shredding or chopping the chicken to use as a flavorful filling for tacos, wraps, quesadillas, or burrito bowls.
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Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Ready to whip up Jamaica’s most iconic dish? The most deliciously spicy, smoky, and aromatic jerk chicken is just a few steps away!
Ingredients
- 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
Instructions
- 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.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 669
- Fat: 47 g
- Saturated fat: 13 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 55 g
- Sodium: 1,369 mg
- Cholesterol: 213 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Amazingly complex flavors and easy to prepare! Everyone loved it, but as is my way I used 4 cloves of garlic. Will definitely make it again.
I worked with this as a base and then added a couple things that someone in Jamaica once told me they put on their jerk; about 1T grated fresh ginger, just a little bit of brown sugar, a splash of dark Rum, then about 30 min or so before you take it out of the marinade add the juice and zest of one lime. The Rum adds something special to it. You don’t really taste any liquor but it does add an additional layer of flavor. I love the idea of the five spice powder in this, by the way.
Hi Jenn,
I have a question for you. I just made the marinade and coated the chicken tonight. I tasted the marinade and it was very, very salty. Is this how it’s supposed to be?
Thanks!
Sandy
Hi Sandy, Yes, it should be fine. Please let me know how it turns out!
Hi Jenn,
Just had the chicken and it turned out perfectly. All of the flavors came through and the chicken was so juicy! Thanks! 🙂
Really liked your Jerk Chicken recipe, full of flavor. I usually don’t like to grill but your grilled recipes have changed that, you’ve made them fool proof and the cook times seem perfect.
Thanks for sharing!
I would love to make this chicken but I don’t have a grill. Is there a way to adapt this to cook in the oven?
Hi Thea, Yes it would be fine to make it in the oven. You might want to flash it under the broiler towards the end to brown and crisp the skin.
I am hoping to make jerk chicken sandwiches for an upcoming party. The food situation is multi bin roasters and the people just eat all day long as they feel like it. What I was wondering is……
Do you think this jerk chicken recipe would work good if I made it as directed, but then shredded the chicken and transferred it to a roaster along with extra of the marinade to keep it moist for sandwiches?
I will DEF be looking forward to your reply
Hi Traci, I do think this would work. I would just recommend using only thighs and drumsticks, as the dark meat will stay moist. Also, I would cook the extra marinade for a bit, otherwise the raw onion flavor might be overwhelming. Hope that helps!
This was delicious! I thought it would be too spicy for some tastebuds, but it wasn’t hot, very flavorful. It’s a keeper for sure! I will definitely make the mango salsa exit time as suggested. I also like the idea of freezing with the marinade for a later date.
Hi Jenn! I plan on making this for some friends next weekend and was wondering if you can recommend a couple side dishes that would compliment the chicken. Thanks!
Hi Renee, You could serve it with so many things! It’d be delicious with my Black Bean Salad with Corn, Red Peppers and Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette or my Caramelized Bell Pepper Medley. You could also just keep it simple with corn on the cob or rice. It’d also be good with a mango salsa — unfortunately, I don’t have a recipe for that on my site but this is Bobby Flay recipe looks good:
MANGO-CILANTRO RELISH (from Bobby Flay)
2 mangoes, peeled and diced
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Combine the mangoes, onion, cilantro, lime juice, and orange juice in a bowl and gently mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Thank you so much for the suggestions! The chicken turned out great! I’ve never had jerk chicken before but I’ll definitely be using this recipe again as the flavors were amazing. I ended up making your caramelized bell peppers and that was fantastic as well! Thanks again!
I am on a mission to try all the recipes on this site. I have made this jerk chicken twice already and it is awesome. Easy enough to prepare in a hurry and let marinade.
Thanks a bunch
Stop right now….you have to make this jerk chicken! It’s amazing! I made it ALL summer long! I would buy a large amount of chicken from the butcher and poor the jerk sauce over it in ziplock bags and freeze it, if you are having last minute company you can just pull it out and BBQ it …..you’ll be a superstar! Thanks again Jennifer, your talent and passion is much appreciated!!