Jerk chicken is a popular favorite, not only in Jamaica but the rest of the world. It’s fiery(though heat is adjustable), highly seasoned and wickedly good.
There are as many jerk seasonings and recipes as there are cooks and my recipe evokes that truth. I created this recipe using my memory of the best jerk chicken I’ve ever had and added more flavor. I find that restaurant-bought jerk chicken skimps on the flavor and seasonings and are often too overcooked for my liking.
Home-made allows me to regulate the seasoning as well as the quality of the ingredients used and the cooking time. I hope you give it a try and do let me know how it turns out.
We made this jerk chicken last weekend with rice and beans, fried plantains, and a mango salad and luckily my husband insisted that I film the process.
Now you not only have a video tutorial and printable recipes for both jerk chicken and rice and beans, but a combination that’s guaranteed to excite, wake up your taste buds and satisfy your weary, worried soul with all the COVID concerns and quarantine measures in place.
Hope that you all are coping with these stressful and challenging circumstances and staying safe and healthy! Leave a comment below or on YouTube, or send me a note! I would love to hear from you!
IF YOU HAVE LEFTOVERS YOU CAN MAKE THIS FRIED RICE!
Ria’s JERK CHICKEN RECIPE
8-10 servings
4 lbs chicken
2 tablespoons pimento seeds (all spice berries or powder)
1 tbs black peppercorn or black pepper powder
4 – 6 scallions (green onions)
1 onion, medium, chopped
1 head garlic, peeled
6 thyme sprigs
2 hot peppers, or to taste, stem removed
1 tablespoon Himalayan salt , or regular salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, or white vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce, medium dark
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or other cooking oil
Cut up a whole chicken into six pieces (see video) or use chicken pieces like legs, thighs or wings. Wash with the juice of a lime or lemon several times, removing any small feathers, slime, extra fat or skin. Place in a strainer to drain.
Meanwhile, make the home made jerk sauce.
If using whole spices and not powder, add the pimento seeds, peppercorns and cinnamon stick(broken into pieces) to a spice grinder and process until it’s a powder. Set aside.
To a blender add scallions, onion, garlic, thyme, hot pepper/s, salt, brown sugar, vinegar, ground spices and soy sauce and oil. Process until it’s a thick paste.
Season chicken with 1 ½ cups of the seasoning paste, reserving the remainder for the rice and beans or use it to make a jerk bbq sauce.
Marinate the chicken, in a covered bowl or zip lock bag, for several hours or overnight.
When ready to cook, heat oven 350 degrees F or grill and bring the chicken to room temperature. When the grill or oven is hot place the chicken in the oven or on the grill and cook for 60-75 minutes until the skin is golden, crisp brown and cooked, turning halfway.
Enjoy and happy cooking!
Ria
Ingredients
- 4 lbs chicken whole (cut up) or pieces
- 2 tablespoons pimento berries all spice berries or powder
- 1 tbs black peppercorn or black pepper powder
- 1 cinnamon stick broken into pieces
- 4 - 6 scallions green onions
- 1 onion medium, chopped
- 1 garlic whole head, peeled
- 6 thyme sprigs
- 2 hot peppers or to taste, stem removed
- 1 tablespoon Himalayan salt or regular salt
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce medium dark
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or other cooking oil
Instructions
- Cut up a whole chicken into six pieces (see video) or use chicken pieces like legs, thighs or wings. Wash with the juice of a lime or lemon several times, removing any small feathers, slime, extra fat or skin. Place in a strainer to drain.
Meanwhile, make the home made jerk sauce.
- If using whole spices and not powder, add the pimento seeds, peppercorns and cinnamon stick(broken into pieces) to a spice grinder and process until it’s a powder. Set aside.
- To a blender add scallions, onion, garlic, thyme, hot pepper/s, salt, brown sugar, vinegar, ground spices, soy sauce and oil. Process until it’s a thick paste.
- Season chicken with 1 ½ cups of the seasoning paste, reserving the remainder for the rice and beans or use it to make a jerk bbq sauce.
- Marinate the chicken, in a covered bowl or zip lock bag, for several hours or overnight.
- When ready to cook, heat oven 350 degrees F or grill and bring the chicken to room temperature. When the grill or oven is hot place the chicken in the oven or on the grill and cook for 60-75 minutes until the skin is golden, crisp brown and cooked, turning halfway.
