The Best Jerk Chicken Recipe
A flavorful and authentic jerk chicken recipe with a homemade brine, jerk paste, and barbecue sauce, grilled to perfection.
2 days10Servings
Nutrition
456kcal
6gProtein
101gCarbs
4gFat
Ingredients
BRINE
Kosher Salt
75 g
Granulated Sugar
60 g
Whole Allspice
1 tbsp
Garlic Cloves
5 cloves
Habanero or Scotch Bonnet Pepper
1 whole
Ginger
3-inch piece
1 piece
Chicken
Broken down into 6 pieces (2 breasts, 2 whole legs, and 2 wings)
1 whole
JERK PASTE
Soy Sauce
250 ml
Thyme Leaves
12 g
Worcestershire Sauce
225 ml
Tamarind Paste
75 g
Ground Allspice
1 tbsp
Light Brown Sugar
1 tbsp
Kosher Salt
1½ tsp
Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp
Ground Cloves
½ tsp
Garlic Cloves
4 cloves
Fresh Bay Leaves
3 whole
Scallions
2 bunchs
Habanero or Scotch Bonnet Peppers
2 whole
Ginger
3-inch piece, peeled
1 piece
BARBECUE SAUCE
Vegetable Oil
2 tbsp
Ginger
minced
1 tbsp
Garlic Cloves
minced
10 cloves
Yellow Onions
roughly chopped
3 whole
Ketchup
1.9 kilograms
Dark Brown Sugar
300 g
Jerk Paste
300 g
Equipment
Blender
Food Processor
Grill
Instructions
1Brine the Chicken
1 day
1 dayDissolve Brine Ingredients
Heat 1 gallon of water with kosher salt, granulated sugar, whole allspice, crushed garlic cloves, halved habanero pepper, and chopped ginger in a large saucepan over medium heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved.
Cool Brine
Add 1 pound of ice to the brine and stir until completely cool.
Brine Chicken
Add the chicken pieces to the cooled brine, cover, and refrigerate overnight (at least 12 hours).
2Make the Jerk Paste
15m
15mCombine Ingredients
After the chicken has brined for 24 hours, remove it from the brine and pat it dry. Place all the jerk paste ingredients (soy sauce, thyme leaves, Worcestershire sauce, tamarind paste, ground allspice, light brown sugar, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, chopped garlic cloves, bay leaves, chopped scallions, halved habanero peppers, and peeled, chopped ginger) into a blender or food processor.
Purée Paste
Purée the ingredients until smooth to create the jerk paste.
Marinate Chicken
Coat the dried chicken pieces in ¾ cup of the prepared jerk paste. Cover directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.
3Make the Barbecue Sauce
1h 8m
1h 8mSauté Aromatics
Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the minced ginger, minced garlic, and roughly chopped yellow onions and cook until softened, about 8 minutes.
Simmer Sauce
Add the ketchup, dark brown sugar, and jerk paste to the saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 1 hour.
Purée Sauce
Allow the barbecue sauce to cool slightly, then transfer it to a blender and purée until smooth. This makes about 6 cups.
4Grill the Chicken
40m
40mPrepare Grill
Light a charcoal grill. Sprinkle wood chips that have been soaked in water over the hot coals.
Grill Chicken
Place the marinated chicken pieces on the grill grate. Grill, flipping once, until charred on each side and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C), about 40 minutes.
Baste and Char
Brush the chicken with some of the prepared barbecue sauce during the last few minutes of grilling, allowing it to char slightly.
Rest and Chop
Transfer the grilled chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes. Chop the chicken into 2-inch pieces.
5Serve
Plate and Garnish
Serve the chopped jerk chicken with additional barbecue sauce on the side. Traditionally served with white bread.
Tips
Ensure the chicken is completely dry after brining for the jerk paste to adhere properly.
Adjust the number of habanero or Scotch bonnet peppers to control the spice level.
For best results, allow the full 24-hour marination period for the jerk paste to penetrate the chicken.