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    Home » Budget Meals

    Jamaican Jerk Chicken

    Jun 12, 2006 · Modified: Jan 1, 2022 by Andrea · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 4 Comments

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    Jamaican Jerk Chicken - Andrea Meyers

    We both enjoy jerk chicken, but we've never made it, so with the summer grilling season upon us, it just seemed like a good time to give it a go. Boy, do we feel silly for not trying it before now! It's really, really simple—you just marinate and grill. I used only one habanero instead of the recommended two simply because they are so devilishly hot. Call me a wimp, but I'm pregnant and those things will eat me alive. Even with only a tiny bit of habanero and no seeds, the marinade was very flavorful.

    The recipe calls for seven to eight pounds of chicken, enough for a small party. For just us and the boys, we grilled two large chicken breasts on the bone and used only one-fourth of the marinade. The flavor seemed just right to me...not too hot but plenty of flavor with a bit of heat. Then we tried it with boneless skinless chicken breasts, and even with only a little bit of habanero the chicken was fiery hot. Of course Michael loved it that way, so we'll probably end up cooking it both ways from now on—skin on for me and the boys, skinless for Michael. If the boys grow up with their father's penchant for fiery foods, they may eventually want to eat the chicken "like Daddy."

    Jamaican Jerk Chicken - Andrea Meyers
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    JAMAICAN JERK CHICKEN

    Adapted from a recipe by Paul Chung, Food & Wine Magazine, 2003.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Marinating Time8 hrs
    Total Time8 hrs 45 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Jamaican
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Keyword: chicken, gluten free, grill, spicy
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 234kcal

    Equipment

    • food processor
    • 2 gallon-sized Ziploc bags
    • grill

    Ingredients

    • 1 medium onion (coarsely chopped)
    • 3 medium scallions (chopped)
    • 1 habanero chile (chopped (with seeds or without, cook's choice))
    • 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
    • 1 tablespoon five-spice powder
    • 1 tablespoon ground allspice
    • 1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme (crumbled)
    • 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup gluten-free soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • 3 pounds chicken breast (boneless and skinless)

    Serve With

    • Jamaican rice and peas
    • Jamaican fried plantains
    US Customary - Metric

    Preparation

    • In a food processor, combine the onion, scallions, chiles, garlic, five-spice powder, allspice, pepper, thyme, nutmeg and salt. Process to a coarse paste. With the machine on, add the the soy sauce and oil in a steady stream. Pour the marinade into a couple ziploc bags, add the chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate 8 to 12 hours.
    • Bring the chicken to room temperature before grilling.
    • Grill the chicken over a medium-high fire, turning about every 10 minutes, until well browned and cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter and serve.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 1022mg | Potassium: 721mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 108IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Share in the comments!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. emily says

      June 12, 2006 at 6:15 pm

      I love the jerk spices.This looks so good.

      Reply
    2. Andrea says

      June 12, 2006 at 8:44 pm

      We enjoyed it! The chicken was tender and very juicy. I was worried that it would dry out, but that marinade really does the trick. And my boys ate it and asked for more!

      Reply
    3. Jennifer says

      June 14, 2006 at 8:58 pm

      We have a ton of thigh/drumstick pieces in the freezer. Do you think would work with that meat selection?

      Reply
    4. Andrea says

      June 15, 2006 at 6:23 am

      Absolutely. The original recipe calls for two 3-1/2 to 4 pound chickens cut into quarters. We just happen to prefer breast meat over the dark meat.

      Reply

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