Name: Jerk Chicken
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients: 3 lb bone-in skin-on chicken thighs; 2 whole scotch bonnet peppers; 1 bunch scallions; 1 medium yellow onion; 4 clove garlic; 1 tbsp fresh ginger; 8 sprig fresh thyme; 1 tbsp ground allspice; 1 tsp black pepper; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg; 2 tsp kosher salt; 1 tbsp brown sugar; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp white vinegar; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 3 whole limes

← Recipes · Grilled · Jerk Chicken

520 cal40g protein10g carbs35g fat1050mg sodium

Estimated, per serving — stays per-serving no matter how many you cook for.

From scratch115 min activeShortcut100 min active

Everyday 25nothing beyond the everyday cabinet

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Jerk Chicken

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Grilled115 minComfortable cook

Serves−4+· written for 4 — change it and the ingredients follow

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Ingredients

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bone-in skin-on chicken thighs3 lb

scotch bonnet peppersstemmed; leave the seeds in for full heat, remove them for medium, use 1 pepper for milder2 whole

scallionsroughly chopped1 bunch

yellow onionquartered1 medium

garlicpeeled4 cloves

fresh gingergrated1 tbsp

fresh thymeleaves stripped from the stems, stems discarded8 sprigs

ground allspice1 tbsp

black pepper1 tsp

ground cinnamon1/2 tsp

ground nutmeg1/4 tsp

kosher salt2 tsp

brown sugar1 tbsp

soy sauce3 tbsp

white vinegar2 tbsp

vegetable oil2 tbsp

limesjuice of 2, the third cut into wedges for serving3 whole

Cook it to

Chicken165°F / 74°C

USDA minimum internal temperatures. Measure at the thickest part, away from bone.

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Sides

Most sides finish faster than the main — start the quick ones last so everything lands hot.

Steps

1Put on gloves before touching the scotch bonnets and keep your hands away from your eyes. Heat level is set here: whole peppers with seeds are traditional and fierce, seeded peppers are medium-hot, and one seeded pepper is the gentlest version that still tastes like jerk.

2Blend the scotch bonnets, scallions, onion, garlic, ginger, thyme leaves, allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, vegetable oil and the juice of 2 limes into a loose, slightly chunky paste.

3Pat the chicken dry. Slash each thigh to the bone two or three times so the marinade can get in. Rub the marinade over the chicken and under the skin, working it into the cuts.

4Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour; overnight gives the deepest flavor. Take the chicken out 20 minutes before grilling.

5Set up the grill for two zones: coals banked to one side, or half the burners on medium-low and half off. Aim for about 350°F on the indirect side. Scrape and oil the grates.

6Lay the thighs skin side up over the indirect side, wiping off big clumps of marinade so they don't scorch. Cover and cook 25 to 30 minutes, turning once, until the chicken reaches about 160°F in the thickest part.

7Move the chicken over the direct heat, skin side down. Grill 3 to 5 minutes per side, watching closely, until the skin is blistered and the edges are charred nearly black in spots. The chicken is done at 175°F near the bone.

8Rest the chicken 5 minutes, then serve with lime wedges. Discard any leftover raw marinade; don't brush it on in the last minutes of cooking.