RECIPES

Best Ever Jerk Chicken

It’s the complex island spicing and levels of flavour that keep jerk chicken at the top of the popularity list. I’ve come up with an express route to an authentic flavour- charged chicken that doesn’t blow the top off your head off with fieriness nor does it have the harness that sometimes comes from a spice rub. Simply throw everything into a food processor and whiz away. This takes less than 5 minutes. Because of the marinade, jerk chicken can look dark and blah – so be sure to have lots of coriander or green onions for scattering over the finished chicken.

Prep Time

15M

Cook Time

45M

Serves

4

Ingredients

  • 8 skinless bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks
  • 4 skinless bone-in breasts
  • 2 large onions, coarsely chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
  • 2 inch (10 mL) piece of fresh ginger, peeled
  • 1 lime
  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) each of soya sauce, vegetable oil and sugar
  • 2 tsp (10 mL) hot sauce
  • 2 tsp (10 mL) each of dried leaf thyme, allspice and cinnamon
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) each of ground nutmeg, coarsely ground black pepper and salt

    • Instructions

    1. 1 Place chicken on a cutting board. So marinade will penetrate, using a skewer or fork, pierce chicken right through to the bone or cutting board. Repeat at at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) intervals. Place chicken in 1 or 2 large freezer bags.
    2. 2 For marinade, put onions and garlic in a food processor. Chop ginger and add. Add the juice of lime and remaining ingredients. Whirl until ground and a thick paste is formed.
    3. 3 Pour over chicken, dividing evenly if using 2 bags. Massage outside of bag to ensure marinade is evenly covering chicken. Press out as much air as possible, then seal. Place bags in a bowl. Refrigerate overnight. Turn bags at least once to distribute marinade.
    4. 4 To roast, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Set a rack on a large foil-lined baking sheet. Remove chicken from marinade, shake off excess, then place on the rack. Fold in skinny ends of chicken to even out thickness. Bake until meat feels springy when pressed and an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 155°F (70°C), from 40 to 55 minutes.
    View All Recipes