Jamaican
Jerk Chicken
Chicken thighs sit in a hot allspice, thyme, and scotch bonnet marinade, then grill until the edges char. The meat tastes smoky, spicy, and a little sweet from the brown sugar.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
Why you’ll love it
- Allspice and thyme are the backbone, not just heat.
- A short marinade still seasons under the skin if it is rubbed on well.
- Grill heat chars the sugar without a long smoke.
- Resting the thighs keeps the juices from running out at the first cut.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Stir the scallions, scotch bonnet peppers, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vegetable oil, brown sugar, allspice, thyme, salt, and lime juice into a paste.
- 2
Rub the paste over the chicken, including under the skin. Let it sit 15 minutes while the grill heats.
- 3
Heat a grill to medium, about 400°F. If any oil on the grates smokes heavily, turn the heat off and let the grates cool before you continue.
- 4
Grill the chicken skin-side down for 8 minutes, then flip.
- 5
Cook until the thickest part of each thigh reaches 165°F, about 15 to 20 minutes more, shifting pieces if they darken too fast.
- 6
Rest the chicken 5 minutes before serving.
Pro tips
- Seed the scotch bonnets if you want the flavor without the full heat.
- Oil the grates so the sugar in the paste does not glue the skin down.
- Use a thermometer in the thickest thigh, close to the bone but not touching it.
Easy substitutions
- scotch bonnet peppers
- 2 jalapeños for a milder paste
- bone-in chicken thighs
- bone-in drumsticks, still cooked to 165°F
- soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon salt plus 1 teaspoon molasses
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat covered at 350°F for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is hot.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 356
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
Moderate · Grill · Dairy-Free, High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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