Jamaica, Americas

Jerk Chicken

Name: Jerk Chicken
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 5 h
Yield: Serves 2
Cuisine: Jamaica
Ingredients: Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 150 g each) 4; Spring onions (scallions) 3; Onion ¼; Scotch bonnet chilli (or habanero) 1; Garlic cloves 3; Fresh ginger 10 g; Fresh thyme leaves, chopped 1½ tsp; Ground allspice (pimento) 1 tsp; Black pepper ½ tsp; Ground cinnamon 1 pinch; Ground nutmeg 1 pinch; Brown sugar 1 tbsp; Soy sauce 1½ tbsp; Lime (juice) ½; Neutral oil 1 tbsp; Salt 1 tsp; Lime wedges, to serve 1

Jamaica's fiery classic: chicken thighs marinated overnight in a paste of spring onion, Scotch bonnet, allspice and thyme, then roasted until charred at the edges.

ServingsServes 2

Total cooking time1 h

Marinating+ 4 h

DifficultyEasy

About servingsScotch bonnet chillies are extremely hot: wear gloves while handling them and don't touch your eyes or face. Never reuse marinade or utensils that touched raw chicken on cooked chicken.

Method

Wearing disposable gloves, roughly chop the spring onions, onion, Scotch bonnet, garlic and ginger. Put them in a blender or mini chopper with the thyme, allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, oil and salt and blend to a thick, slightly coarse paste. Before it touches any raw chicken, spoon about one-fifth into a small covered container and refrigerate it for basting later.
Add in this stepSpring onions (scallions) 3Onion ¼Scotch bonnet chilli (or habanero) 1Garlic cloves 3Fresh ginger 10 gFresh thyme leaves, chopped 1½ tspGround allspice (pimento) 1 tspBlack pepper ½ tspGround cinnamon 1 pinchGround nutmeg 1 pinchBrown sugar 1 tbspSoy sauce 1½ tbspLime (juice) ½Neutral oil 1 tbspSalt 1 tsp
Pat the chicken dry and cut 2 or 3 slashes down to the bone on the meaty side. Rub the rest of the paste deep into the cuts and under the skin, cover and refrigerate for at least , ideally overnight.
Add in this stepBone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 150 g each) 4
Take the chicken out 30 minutes before cooking and heat the oven to 200 °C. Line a 25×20 cm roasting tin with foil, set a rack on top and arrange the chicken skin side up with space between the pieces. Roast on the middle shelf for .
Brush the chicken thinly with the reserved paste and roast for more. Switch the oven to the grill (broiler) at its highest setting and cook for more, until the skin is charred in spots; the sugar can burn in seconds, so stay close. It is done when the thickest part reaches at least 75 °C and the juices near the bone run clear.
Let the chicken rest for so the juices settle, then serve with lime wedges. In Jamaica it is eaten with rice and peas or festival, a slightly sweet fried dumpling.
Add in this stepLime wedges, to serve 1

Cook's tip

Scotch bonnets are very hot; for a milder result, remove the seeds and white ribs or use half. Do not leave out the allspice: it is the heart of jerk flavour. Thighs stay juicy, while breast dries out easily.

Cooking it at camp

Marinate the chicken at home and pack it in a sealed container in a well-iced cooler; it will have soaked up the flavour by the time you arrive. Bank the coals on one side of a lidded grill, cook the chicken on the other side with the lid closed for 35 to 45 minutes, then move it over the coals to char, which is close to the traditional way. Always check for 75 °C inside.