If you love big, bold flavours with a proper kick of heat, you’re going to love this Jerk Chicken! Inspired by the incredible flavours of Jamaica, this recipe is all about juicy chicken, a punchy marinade and that unmistakable combination of Scotch bonnet chillies, allspice, thyme and garlic.
Jerk chicken is traditionally cooked over pimento wood, which gives it that wonderful smoky flavour, but you can still make something seriously delicious at home without a traditional jerk pit. Get the marinade right, give the chicken time to soak up all those amazing flavours, and you’re well on your way to a fantastic meal.
About This Jerk Chicken Recipe
This Jerk Chicken is all about juicy, bone-in chicken marinated in a bold blend of Scotch bonnet chillies, allspice, thyme, ginger, garlic and warming spices, with a little brown sugar, lime and soy sauce to bring everything together.
Give it plenty of time in the marinade, then cook it over charcoal until the chicken is beautifully smoky, tender and coated in those unmistakable dark, crispy, charred edges. It's fiery, fragrant and packed with proper Caribbean flavour. Serve it with rice and peas or a fresh salad for a fantastic meal!
Ingredients
Fresh ingredients are key to getting the best flavour from this Jerk Chicken recipe. You’ll find the ingredients listed below, while the precise amounts are provided in the recipe card at the end of the page. For smooth cooking and the best outcome, it’s a good idea to have everything measured and prepared before you begin.
See recipe card for quantities.
- Chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin on and bone in
- Spring onions
- Onion
- Garlic
- Fresh ginger
- Scotch bonnet chillies
- Pimento berries (allspice)
- Fresh thyme leaves
- Black pepper
- Ground cinnamon
- Freshly grated nutmeg
- Dark brown sugar
- White vinegar
- Lime
- Soy sauce
- Vegetable or rapeseed oil
- Salt
- Give feedback
Step by step photos
Below, you’ll see step-by-step photographs to guide you through the recipe. At the bottom of the page, you’ll also find the full recipe card, which includes the complete list of ingredients and written instructions in an easy, printable format.
- Step 1: Put the spring onions, onion, garlic, ginger, Scotch bonnets, pimento, thyme, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce, oil and salt into a blender. Blitz to a fairly smooth, thick paste. If your blender struggles, add another splash of vinegar or lime juice.
- Step 2: Score the chickenall over. This allows the marinade to penetrate rather than simply sitting on the skin.
- Step 3: Rub the jerk marinade generously all over the chicken, working it into the cuts. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Step 4: When ready to cook, light a charcoal barbecue and allow the coals to become hot and lightly ashed. If you have pimento wood or chips, add them to the coals shortly before cooking. Cook the chicken to start over an indirect heat. You are aiming for a cooking heat of 180° to 200°C (356° to 400°F).
- Step 5: When the chicken is nearing cooked through, move the chicken pieces directly over the hottest part of the barbecue for a few minutes, turning frequently, until the skin is beautifully blistered and charred.
- Step 6: Proper jerk chicken should have deeply browned, almost blackened edges. That's where much of the flavour comes from. As in this recipe, the trick is to cook the chicken gently first, then finish it over fierce heat so you get that unmistakable Jamaican combination of smoke, spice, juicy meat and dark crispy edges
- Step 7: Transfer the chicken to a plate to Rest for 5–10 minutes before serving. Jerk chicken is fantastic with rice or a simple fresh salad.
Variations
There are a few ways you can adapt this jerk chicken recipe depending on how much heat you like and how you want to serve it.
Spicy - If you love fiery jerk chicken, use 4 Scotch bonnet chillies and leave some of the seeds in for extra heat. You could also add a little extra chilli powder to the marinade if you really like it hot.
Deluxe - For an extra smoky, authentic flavour, add pimento wood or chips to your charcoal barbecue. Serve the chicken with rice and peas, fried plantain and a fresh mango salsa for a proper Caribbean feast.
Kid friendly - Scotch bonnets pack a serious punch, so reduce the chillies to half a pepper or leave them out altogether. Keep the garlic, ginger, allspice and thyme for plenty of flavour without too much heat. You could also use boneless chicken thighs to make serving easier.
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
- Sharp knife
- Chopping board
- Large mixing bowl or tray
- Cling film or airtight container
- Charcoal barbecue with a lid
- Kitchen tongs
- Meat thermometer
Storage
Fridge: Allow your dish to cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Flavours often develop even more after a night in the fridge.
Freezer: Portion and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently in the oven until piping hot.
Top Tip
For the best jerk chicken, marinate it overnight if you can. Score the chicken deeply so the marinade gets right into the meat, and cook it over indirect heat before finishing over the hot coals. This gives you juicy chicken, smoky flavour and those delicious, dark, charred edges without burning the outside before the inside is cooked.
FAQ
Jerk chicken is traditionally quite spicy thanks to Scotch bonnet chillies. This recipe uses 3–4 chillies, so expect a good kick of heat. You can reduce the amount to suit your taste.
Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours, but overnight is even better. This gives the flavours time to penetrate the meat and makes the chicken even more delicious.
Yes! Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Place the marinated chicken on a baking tray and roast for around 40–50 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces, until cooked through. Finish under the grill for a few minutes to crisp up the skin, keeping a close eye on it.
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Jerk Chicken
Make authentic Jamaican jerk chicken on the BBQ with Scotch bonnet chillies, allspice and aromatic spices for smoky, juicy chicken with crispy, charred edges.
Ingredients
- 1.5–1.8kg chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin on and bone in
- 6 spring onions, roughly chopped
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- 25g fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 3–4 Scotch bonnet chillies, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp whole pimento berries (allspice), or 1½ tbsp ground allspice
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp vegetable or rapeseed oil
- 1½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Put the spring onions, onion, garlic, ginger, Scotch bonnets, pimento, thyme, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce, oil and salt into a blender. Blitz to a fairly smooth, thick paste. If your blender struggles, add another splash of vinegar or lime juice.
- Score the chickenall over. This allows the marinade to penetrate rather than simply sitting on the skin. Then rub the jerk marinade generously all over the chicken, working it into the cuts. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- When ready to cook, light a charcoal barbecue and allow the coals to become hot and lightly ashed. If you have pimento wood or chips, add them to the coals shortly before cooking. Cook the chicken to start over an indirect heat. You are aiming for a cooking heat of 180° to 200°C (356° to 400°F). That said, if you have a little more time and like a smoky flavour, you could smoke the chicken for about an hour at 75°C/165°F before raising the heat to cook for a while. The internal temperature for cooked chicken is 74°C/165°F. When cooked at the higher temperature it should take about 35 to 45 minutes.
- When the chicken is nearing cooked through, move the chicken pieces directly over the hottest part of the barbecue for a few minutes, turning frequently, until the skin is beautifully blistered and charred.
- Proper jerk chicken should have deeply browned, almost blackened edges. That's where much of the flavour comes from. As in this recipe, the trick is to cook the chicken gently first, then finish it over fierce heat so you get that unmistakable Jamaican combination of smoke, spice, juicy meat and dark crispy edges
- Transfer the chicken to a plate to Rest for 5–10 minutes before serving. Jerk chicken is fantastic with rice or a simple fresh salad.
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