Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Tags: #meat #chicken #grilling #Jamaican #Caribbean #spicy Serving: 4 servings Total time: 12 hours 30 minutes

Charcoal-grilled chicken marinated in a fiery, aromatic jerk paste of Scotch bonnet, allspice, thyme, and citrus, finished with smoky char.

Ingredients

• 1500 g bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks)
• 120 g scallions
• 20 g garlic
• 20 g fresh ginger
• 20 g Scotch bonnet peppers
• 10 g fresh thyme leaves
• 10 g ground allspice
• 2 g ground cinnamon
• 1 g ground nutmeg
• 4 g ground black pepper
• 16 g kosher salt
• 30 g dark brown sugar
• 60 ml fresh lime juice
• 60 ml orange juice
• 30 ml apple cider vinegar
• 30 ml soy sauce
• 30 ml neutral oil
• 30 g pimento (allspice) wood chips (optional)
• 120 g lime wedges (for serving)

Steps

1. Trim excess fat from the chicken.
2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
3. Score the chicken skin and thickest parts with shallow 1 cm slashes.
4. Blend the scallions, garlic, ginger, Scotch bonnets, thyme, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, salt, brown sugar, lime juice, orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, and oil to a smooth paste.
5. Reserve 60 ml of the jerk paste in a clean container.
6. Place the chicken in a nonreactive bowl or zipper bag.
7. Coat the chicken evenly with the remaining jerk paste.
8. Cover the bowl or seal the bag.
9. Refrigerate the chicken for 8–24 hours.
10. Soak the pimento wood chips in water for 30 minutes (optional).
11. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator.
12. Set up a charcoal grill for two-zone cooking.
13. Light the charcoal.
14. Adjust the vents to hold 175–190°C in the indirect zone.
15. Drain the soaked wood chips (optional).
16. Add the wood chips to the hot coals (optional).
17. Clean the grill grates.
18. Oil the grill grates.
19. Scrape excess marinade off the chicken skin.
20. Place the chicken skin-side up over indirect heat.
21. Cover the grill.
22. Cook for 20 minutes.
23. Baste the chicken with the reserved jerk paste.