• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Simply So Good

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Recipes / Chicken and Poultry / Jamaican Jerk Chicken – FINALLY!

Jamaican Jerk Chicken – FINALLY!

April 24, 2010 Updated July 18, 2017 3 Comments

119 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
I got a call from Tiffany who is my baby and going to college too far from home.  Ok, 250 miles isn’t that far, but it might as well be China!  Tiffany was having a craving for Jamaican Jerk Chicken.  She requested that I make this for her when she came home.  Well, she came home so I thought this would be a great recipe to blog.  I usually make this during the summer and grill vegies to accompany the chicken.  Wouldn’t you know that it has rained non-stop all day.  So I’m grilling in the rain.  YES, the chicken could have been baked in the oven, but I really love the grill flavor.  Thank you, Tiffany for requesting Jerk!  Chicken that is!  Not the guys she dates (hahahaha…love you).
These few simply ingredients will make a powerful chicken.  With the exception of the habanero chiles, I keep everything here on hand.  They are part of my pantry staples. 
From the produce department you will need the following:  Shallots, green onions, garlic, hananero chiles, and fresh thyme.
From your pantry cupboard you will need:  salt, pepper, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, cinnamon, ground allspice and oil (whatever you have will work).
Just roughly chop your produce.
In a blender or food processor add the shallots…
…green onions…
…hot motha habanero chiles.  A word of advise…you may want to wear rubber gloves when handling these babies.  They are deadly.  If you don’t wear gloves while chopping, do NOT rub your eyes, scratch anything, pick your nose, one other thing I can’t mention (too embarassing).  You get the drift…
If you are serving this to small children, you may want to omit the habanero’s.  If you are a pansy and can’t take the heat you can just add one.  But you HAVE to add at least one for heaven sake.  My family gets annoyed with pansy people who say they don’t like spicey foods.  Buck up!  If you are not a pansy try adding 4 habanero chiles and marinate for 48 hours.  That’s some *** kickin heat!
…garlic and ginger…
…thyme…
…salt and pepper…
…cinnamon and allspice…
…ground cloves and ground nutmeg…

…and the oil.

Not necessarily in that order.  You can reverse the order and it will still turn out the same.
Turn on the blender or food processor.
Let it rip!
Blend until it becomes a smooth green paste.  Now don’t look and this and say, “Ewww it’s thick green goop”.  Look at this and say, “wow look at this beautiful green paste of flavors that will penetrate my chicken to the bone.” 
Another helpful hint:  DO NOT inhale the vapors of this paste.  They carry a punch! 

Place the chicken in a resealable bag.  Ewww that bone looks kind of disgusting – sorry.  I always use bone in chicken with the skin for this recipe.  I like the flavor and moisture.  I’m sure you could use boneless skinless.  I have never tried it, just don’t over cook or your will have extremely spicey dried out breasts!

Pour the jerk paste over the chicken.  Squish it around to make sure that all of the chicken pieces are well coated.
Zip the bag closed and place it on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 24 hours or 48 hours if you want it to knock your socks off.
Heat your gas grill up to 500 degrees.  If you are using charcoal, use the 5 second rule.  Place your hand about 5 inches from the coals and hold it there for 3-5 seconds.  After the gas grill is heated turn the burners to low and turn one off.  Place the chicken on the grill skin sides down on the burner without the heat.  This is called off set grilling.  Keeping the other burners on will keep the grill nice and hot without burning your chicken.  Grill for about 15 minutes per side.  Watch carefully not to burn the chicken.
Alternately, you can place the chicken on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 450 degree oven.  Cook for about 25-30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.  Then turn on broiler and broil chicken until the skin is crisp, 2-3 minutes.

You may want to lightly oil the rack to prevent the chicken from sticking.
It’s still raining!  Oops I had a little stickage.  No problem.  Cook another 15 minutes after turning.
I decided to grill some pineapple and lime halves.  The grilled limes are awesome squeezed over the chicken.
You probably noticed that my grill is a hundred years old.  It’s a Webber and I LOVE IT!  Can’t part with it.  Someday I’ll get a big daddy Webber.  Mothers Day????  I TOTALLY deserve it.
It’s still raining…
There you have it – Jamaican Jerk Chicken.  Definately not for the spicey impared.  It’s still raining!
Jamaican Jerk Chicken

3 fresh habanero chiles, discard stems and coarsely chop
6 green onions, coarsely chopped
3 shallots, quartered
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoons ground cloves
¼ cup oil
1 whole chicken, cut up

Cut and wash chicken or just buy one pre-cut.  Cut several 1-inch long slits in each piece of chicken. Set aside. Combine all other ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until a paste forms. Place the chicken in a re-sealable bag or deep dish. Pour Jerk paste over chicken. Reseal bag. Move the chicken pieces around to make sure that the paste covers the entire piece. Place on a baking sheet or plate skin side down and refrigerate overnight.  Makes 8 servings.

Try to marinate chicken at least 8 hours. I have marinated for as long as 48 hours. Wow was the flavor INTENSE!

As you bite into this grilled chicken, your mouth will explode as the different flavors come through. If you were tough enough to use all three habanero chiles, you will start to feel the heat build up in your mouth then it will linger in your throat. It’s a Jamaican party in your mouth, man.

Share this:

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook

Related

Filed Under: Chicken and Poultry, Entrées Tagged With: Chicken, Main dish

Previous Post: « Stuffed Meatballs and Spaghetti
Next Post: Carne Asada Tacos »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. sumaira says

    May 31, 2011 at 10:19 am

    jerk chicken recipe spice is mostly a mixture of Jamaican pimento and Scotch bonnet peppers, but small amounts of other spices are added to the mixture as well, and these normally include cinnamon, cloves, garlic, nutmeg, scallions, and thyme.

    Reply
  2. Janet says

    April 30, 2010 at 5:07 am

    I'm so proud of you and your husband. Way to take the heat. I really want to plant some habanero's myself. I had one plant one year and had enough to last me the summer. So awesome.

    Reply
  3. Bryan and Whitney says

    April 28, 2010 at 4:16 pm

    Way excited for this one–making it later this week. I have been unhappy with all the jerk recipes I've tried the last few years and this one looks great. I'll be adding a splash of rum to the marinade–it's the only thing we liked about the last jerk recipe we tried, from my culinary textbook. No, we haven't become lushes… just use it for cooking.It's funny, we keep habaneros on hand. We use them probably twice a week (don't ask our guts how they like it, they'll let you know). Got ten habanero plants going in my windowsill to plant in a couple weeks… YUM.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




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

Primary Sidebar

About Me

Janet Barton

Hi I'm Janet and this is where I share my delicious made-from-scratch seasonal recipes that I make at home for my family every day.

I believe cooking from scratch, using unprocessed and whole foods is an important part of healthy eating. My goal is to help you create amazing recipes by providing easy step-by-step photos and instructions.

Read More »

Trending Recipes

  • No-knead Crusty Bread in a Dutch oven No-knead Crusty Bread

  • Several chocolate drop cookies on white background Chocolate Drop Cookies

  • Wooden board with chocolate cookies with half chocolate icing and half vanilla icing Chocolate Half Moon Cookies

  • Glass of almond milk with 2 gray striped straws on wood board with container of almond milk in background Quick Homemade Almond Milk

  • Rustic Strawberry Rhubarb tarts

  • pink iced heart sugar cookies Sour Cream Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Lemonade and raspberry lemonade in tall glasses Old Fashioned Lemonade

  • Homemade Buttermilk Ricotta

  • fried ice cream with spoonful taken out with honey and berries Fried Ice Cream

  • pan of frozen lemon curd ice cream with ice cream scoop No-Churn Lemon Curd Ice Cream

Latest on Instagram

simplysogood

🍋 I teach you how to cook from scratch
🍒 Follow simple step-by-step recipes
🫐 A lover of fresh, seasonal, & local ingredients

Fresh Herb Crockpot Turkey Breast with Brown Butte Fresh Herb Crockpot Turkey Breast with Brown Butter Pears is perfect for a smaller but still impressive Thanksgiving dinner. This easy recipe features a boneless turkey breast coated in homemade herb butter and "roasted" in a slow cooker, then served with a creamy cider herb gravy and sautéed browned butter pears....

https://www.simplysogood.com/fresh-herb-crockpot-turkey-breast-with-brown-butter-pears/
These strawberry rhubarb crumble bars will take yo These strawberry rhubarb crumble bars will take you straight to dessert paradise! 🥰⁠🍓
.⁠
Sweet-tart love in every bite, they’re the perfect treat for sunny days and cozy nights. Grab a bar and let’s indulge in this fruity delight!⁠
.⁠
Give this recipe a try by clicking the link in my Instagram bio, where I post step-by-step photo instructions!
⁠
#rhubarbseason #homemadewithlove #dessertclub #strawberryrhubarb #strawberryrhubarbpie #strawberrycrumble #strawberryrhubarbcrumble
Baking up some homemade magic with my no-knead Lem Baking up some homemade magic with my no-knead Lemon Rosemary Gruyere bread!
•
This recipe is as easy as pie (or should I say bread?), bringing the flavors of tangy lemon, fragrant rosemary, and oh-so-melty Gruyere to life. 🍋🍞🌱
•
Click the link in my bio to read through these helpful tips that will make your homemade bread a melt-in-your-mouth success!

#homemadebread #nokneadbread #gruyerebread #lemoncheesebread #cheesebread #homemadecheesebread
Starting the day off right with these indulgent no Starting the day off right with these indulgent no-knead brioche morning buns! 🤎 There’s just something about the buttery, flaky brioche and the sweet cinnamon swirl that makes mornings extra special.
•
The base dough recipe for no-knead brioche morning buns is a buttery no-knead dough that is refrigerated overnight. The chilled dough is very easy to roll, fill, slice, and bake.
•
So go ahead, treat yourself to something delicious and let these buns brighten up your day! 

The recipe link is in my Instagram bio!

#MorningTreats #BriocheLove #SweetIndulgence #cinnamonsugar #cinnamonandsugar #morningbuns
No fancy Ice Cream Maker — no problem! 🍦🍨 No fancy Ice Cream Maker — no problem! 🍦🍨 This no churn Strawberry Raspberry Ice Cream recipe is quick and easy to make without an ice cream maker in only 10 minutes.
•
Simply blend together a mix of frozen strawberries and raspberries with vanilla ice cream and raspberry sherbet for a rich, fruity, and creamy dessert that tastes homemade! 🍓
•
Give this recipe a try by clicking the link in my Instagram bio, where I post step-by-step photo instructions!

#nochurnicecream #homemadeicecream #strawberryicecream #raspberryicecream #kidfriendlyrecipes #simplerecipes
These chewy peanut butter bars have been a family These chewy peanut butter bars have been a family favorite for decades! Peanut butter cookies layered with chocolate and a delicious peanut butter glaze! 🥜🍫
•
Trust me, your family will LOVE them!
•
Click the link in my bio to read through these helpful tips that will make your peanut butter bars a melt-in-your-mouth success!

#peanutbutterbars #peanutbuttercookies #pbbars #peanutbutterchocolate #peanutbutterlover #pbandchocolate
Start your day off on a flaky note with these skys Start your day off on a flaky note with these skyscraper buttermilk biscuits!
These melt-in-your-mouth treats are the perfect indulgence for breakfast, brunch, or anytime you’re craving something buttery and delicious.
•
So go ahead, treat yourself to these heavenly delights and savor every flakey, buttery bite with me!
•
The recipe link is in my Instagram bio!

#butterybiscuits #homemadeisbest #breakfastindulgence #brunchgoals
Sharing my famous Lemon Curd Recipe! 🍋🌼💛 Sharing my famous Lemon Curd Recipe! 🍋🌼💛 The one that everyone says I should sell at farmers markets — nah! I’ll just share the recipe with you all instead!
•
I love lemon curd, and use it for so many things!!
🍰 Layered in a cake
🍦 Swirled into ice cream
🍪 Smashed between cookies
☀️ Filled inside scones

The possibilities are endless!! Give this recipe a try by clicking the link in my Instagram bio! And if you’d like the recipes for my other lemon curd inspired goodies, they’re all linked in my Instagram stories!

#lemoncurd #lemoncurdcake #lemoncurdicecream #lemonicecream #lemondessert #lemoncurdrecipe
Have you ever tried an olive oil cake!? 🍰 They Have you ever tried an olive oil cake!? 🍰 They are incredibly soft and moist — you gotta give it a try!
•
This citrus olive oil cake recipe features a tart lemon curd filling and a rich mascarpone frosting. Then we gently add flowers for beautiful decoration. It is an impressive looking and mouth-watering dessert that’s perfect for any special occasion! 🍋🤍🌼

Recipe is linked in my Instagram bio!

#oliveoilcake #oliveoilcakes #lemoncurdcake #mascarponefrosting #mascarponeicing
Follow on Instagram
  • No-knead Crusty Bread in a Dutch oven No-knead Crusty Bread posted on September 19, 2018

  • Several chocolate drop cookies on white background Chocolate Drop Cookies posted on May 20, 2024

  • Wooden board with chocolate cookies with half chocolate icing and half vanilla icing Chocolate Half Moon Cookies posted on April 5, 2024

  • Glass of almond milk with 2 gray striped straws on wood board with container of almond milk in background Quick Homemade Almond Milk posted on June 3, 2020

  • Rustic Strawberry Rhubarb tarts posted on April 12, 2019

  • pink iced heart sugar cookies Sour Cream Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting posted on February 8, 2025

  • Homemade Buttermilk Ricotta posted on April 15, 2013

  • Lemonade and raspberry lemonade in tall glasses Old Fashioned Lemonade posted on June 22, 2018

  • fried ice cream with spoonful taken out with honey and berries Fried Ice Cream posted on May 4, 2025

  • pan of frozen lemon curd ice cream with ice cream scoop No-Churn Lemon Curd Ice Cream posted on April 10, 2020

Footer

Featured on

The Daily Meal Logo The foodgawker-logo reddit Logo BuzzFeed Logo halfbaked Harvest Logo Browneyed Baker Logo FOOD52 Logo University of Washington Logo sheknows Logo

Copyright © 2025 Janet Barton
Privacy Policy