• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Great Eight Friends
  • Gr8 Food ∞
    • Appetizers
      • Dips and Spreads
    • Beverages
      • Adult Beverages
      • Non-Alcoholic Drinks
    • Bread
      • Quick Bread
      • Yeast Bread
    • Breakfast and Brunch
      • Egg Dishes
    • Desserts and Snacks
      • Cakes and Cupcakes
      • Candy and Confections
      • Cookies
      • Fruit
      • Pies and Tarts
      • Snacks
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • 130+ Main Courses
      • Beef
      • Fish
      • Lamb
      • Meatless
      • Pork
      • Poultry
    • Salads and Dressings
    • Sauces Salsas Marinades
    • Side Dishes
      • Pasta
      • Potatoes
      • Rice and Grains
      • Vegetables
    • Soup
  • Gr8 Friends ∞
    • Gr8 Dinners
    • Gr8 Holiday Ideas
    • Other Occasion Parties
  • Gr8 Fun ∞
    • Debbie's Craft Corner
    • Gr8 Trips
      • Field Trips
      • Vacations
    • Other Gr8 Stuff
      • Our Favorite Kitchen Tools
    • Restaurant Reviews
  • Who We Are
    • GR8 Party Outlines
    • Become a Gr8 Friend!
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Become a Gr8 Friend!
  • Main Courses
  • Appetizers
  • Beverages
  • Bread
  • Breakfast and Brunch
  • Desserts and Snacks
  • Instant Pot Recipes
  • Salads and Dressings
  • Sauces Salsas Marinades
  • Side Dishes
  • Soup
  • Gr8 Friends
  • Gr8 Dinners
  • Gr8 Fun
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Jamaican Jerk Chicken Recipe

    August 12, 2018 by Debbie Leave a Comment

    A platter of grilled Jamaican Jerk Chicken.

    During my travels as a young girl to Ocho Rios, Jamaica, my parents loved experiencing everything and everyplace where the locals hung out. One spot we always made sure we stopped by, and sometimes twice per visit, was the Jerk Center. They had the absolute best Jamaican Jerk Chicken.

    A wooden bowl of several pieces of grilled Jamaican Jerk Chicken and the jerk spices in smaller bowls with small wooden spoons on the side.

    You can smell the spices as you approach the “restaurant.” Back then the "restaurant" was just a tin “roof” above the smoking meat. The turn off the road was into a dirt lot…I wonder if it had an actual street name or address! I don’t even remember if there was signage! Not your typical brick and mortar!

    It was word of mouth and those mouths were watering and burning with the delicious spices! The tables outside were placed under whatever shade you could find in that island heat! All these years later, it’s got a patio type structure...safe from the rains...which didn’t stop us in the past!

    A woman and man posing for the camera at a restaurant in Jamaica.

    Although my dad is gone, my sweet mom still travels there about 4 times a year. Visiting all of their friends and making sure she stops by all the spots she did with my dad and all of us.

    They love when they hear she’s coming to town and are always so happy to see her. She insists on a picture and they happily oblige! Here she is with the owner of the Jerk Center. He loves reminiscing with her about his stories with my Dad.

    Jamaican Jerk spices and other ingredients in a bowl.

    You know how when you taste or smell something and your mind and heart wanders back to the past? The aromas of the Jerk Chicken spices capture the flavors of that beautiful island, bringing back wonderful memories. It took center stage at Phil and my Celebrating the Flavors and Fun of Jamaica theme dinner. It was hit to all 8 palettes!

    Be careful of the scotch bonnet (or habanero) peppers…the color is so beautiful, but the heat will sure get ya! And if you find the heat is unbearable whip up a pot of Island Coconut Rice. It’ll calm your tastebuds quicker than you think!

    A whole and sliced scotch bonnet pepper on a wood cutting board.

    The first bite and it’s like I’m right back there...crashing waves in the background and Reggae music in the distance!

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save this RecipeSaved!

    Please leave a rating!

    No ratings yet

    Jamaican Jerk Chicken

    The mouth watering classic Jamaican dish, Jerk Chicken is filled with all the spices authentic to the island. Grab a Red Stripe Beer and play some Bob Marley...you're in for a tasty tropical treat!
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time50 mins
    Chilling/Marinating Time6 hrs
    Total Time7 hrs 5 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Caribbean, Tropical
    Keyword: Jerk Chicken
    Servings: 8 servings
    Author: Debbie

    Ingredients

    • ⅓ cup freshly ground pepper
    • ¼ cup kosher salt
    • ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon nutmeg
    • ¼ cup plus ½ teaspoon ground cloves
    • 1 Tablespoon dried thyme leaves
    • ¾ cup granulated sugar
    • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
    • ¼ cup fresh squeezed lime juice
    • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
    • 1 ¾ Tablespoons molasses
    • ¾ cup spring onions, minced, also known as Mexican onions
    • 9 large garlic cloves, minced
    • 4 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
    • 4 medium Scotch bonnets or habanero chiles (depending on your heat tolerance), stemmed and minced
    • 4 pounds chicken pieces
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • In a medium bowl combine all ingredients except the chicken. Mix together well.
    • Add the chicken to the marinade and toss with a rubber spatula to coat the chicken completely.
    • Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator. If time permits, it’s set to chill overnight. If not, chill for at least 6 hours.
    • Heat grill to medium or a cast iron skillet on medium-high.
    • Remove chicken from marinade. Place chicken on grates, skin side down.
    • Cook uncovered, turning once, until the jerk marinade forms a nice crust on the skin, about 8 minutes.
    • Cover the grill (or cast iron). Continue cooking until cooked through, about 40 minutes on grill. Time may vary if cooking in skillet.
    • Bake until fully cooked through.

    Notes

    Gr8 Tip:
    This recipe can also be prepared in the oven.
    • Preheat oven to 350°F.
    • Line a cookie sheet or metal rimmed baking pan with foil.
    • Transfer marinated chicken to the prepared pan.
    • Cook until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165℉.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @Great8Friends or tag #gr8food!
    « Minted Cucumber Tomato Salad Recipe
    Tasty Tomato Onion Tart »

    Reader Interactions

    Be a Gr8 Friend and tell us what you think! Cancel reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Be a Gr8 Friend!

    Talk With Us!

    • Debbie on Layered Vegetable Pâté Recipe
    • Charles Ayash on Layered Vegetable Pâté Recipe
    • Kyle on Easy No Bake Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
    • Kyle on Warm Spinach Potato Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette
    • wonderfulcook.com on Warm Spinach Potato Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette
    my foodgawker gallery

    Need More Servings?

    Our recipes will do the calculation for you. Just hover over the number of servings then move the slider to the number desired. (Please be aware: this will not change pan or bowl sizes, so you may have to adjust for that.)

    It's Grilling Season!

    ThermoWorks Thermapen Mk4

    Footer

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Our Party Outline

    As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright ©2022 Foodie Pro on the Foodie Pro Theme