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Jughandle's Jerk Chicken

The meat is not only wonderfully spiced with classic jerk seasonings, but moist and tender.
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Jamaican
Keywords Jerk Chicken
Protein Chicken
Cooking Method Grilling
Hot/Cold Dish Cold, Hot
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinate 2 hours
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12 Servings
Author jughandle

What You Will Need:

The Chicken:
  • 5 lb Chicken - Stuffing chicken cut into 8 pieces or 2 smaller fryers
For the marinade:
    The Dry:
    • 2 tbsps dark brown sugar - or 1 tbsp molasses
    • 6 cloves garlic - fresh
    • 2 tsp all spice - ground
    • 1/2 tsp nutmeg - ground
    • 1 tsp cloves - ground
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp cayenne pepper - optional
    • 1 tsp ginger - ground or fresh grated
    • 1/2 tsp sage - dry sage
    • 4 tsp Thyme - fresh, or 2 tsp dry
    • 1 Tbsp Lime zest - the zest of your 4 limes
    • 1 tsp kosher salt
    • 1.5 tsp black pepper - grind fresh
    The Liquids:
    • 4 Tbsp Lime Juice - or the juice of 4 limes
    • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil - EVOO
    • 3/4 Cup Orange juice - fresh is best, or use what you have
    • 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
    • 1/4 Cup white vinegar
    The Onions and Pepper:
    • 2 Whole White Onion - Large, Chopped or use 2 Vidalia onions
    • 1.5 Cups Green onions - minced - approx 1 bunch
    • 1 whole Scotch Bonnet Pepper - clean and de-seed

    Method:

    • Seed and finely chop the Scotch Bonnet pepper.
    • Butcher the whole chicken into 8 pieces and trim fat.  I leave the skin on but you can remove it if you like.
    • In a food processor or blender, combine the dry ingredients.  The  allspice, thyme, cayenne pepper, black pepper, sage, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, lime zest, salt, garlic powder, salt, and brown sugar.
    • Blend to combine or make a coarse mixture.
    • Next pulse while adding the liquids.  The olive oil, soy sauce, vinegar, orange juice, and lime juice.
    • Add the Scotch Bonnet pepper, onion, green onion, and blend 5-10 more seconds, leaving pieces of the pepper and onions visible.
    • Put the chicken in a large plastic bag or bowl and pour only as much marinade on as it takes to coat and cover the chicken.  Mix well to coat all parts of the chicken.
    • Reserve the remaining marinade to make a sauce while the chicken is cooking.
    • Remove air from the bag and seal, or cover the bowl with plastic wrap pushed down on the chicken. Marinate for at least 2 hours, or longer.  Overnight if possible.

    To Cook:

    • Preheat an outdoor grill.  In Jamaica the cooks use Pimento wood, but that is hard to come by in the states.
    • Remove the chicken parts from the marinade and grill for 5 minutes on each side to brown and caramelize the marinade.  
    • Continue to cook for 10- 15 more minutes on each side or until fully cooked
    • While grilling, baste with the marinade.

    For a Sauce:

    • Bring the leftover marinade to a boil and pour it on the finished chicken when it is done cooking or serve in a bowl for dipping. *Note - see cooking notes.*

    Notes

    Note: You must bring the leftover marinade to a boil for 10 min to ensure that it will be safe to eat after having been in contact with the raw chicken. Note: Scotch Bonnet peppers, also known as "Habaneros" are the one of the hottest of the capsicum peppers. Substitute Serranos or Thai Bird Chiles if you can't find them or jalapeno peppers if you'd like it cooler.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Jughandle's Jerk Chicken
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 325 Calories from Fat 189
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 21g32%
    Saturated Fat 5g31%
    Cholesterol 96mg32%
    Sodium 455mg20%
    Potassium 336mg10%
    Carbohydrates 6g2%
    Sugar 3g3%
    Protein 24g48%
    Vitamin A 410IU8%
    Vitamin C 15.1mg18%
    Calcium 36mg4%
    Iron 1.6mg9%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.