Jerk Chicken
Bone-in chicken thighs and legs marinated in a spicy and flavorful sauce and roasted in an oven are known as “jerk chicken.” For another chicken meal with a twist, try my Copycat Chipotle Chicken.
Jerk Chicken
Ingredients
Jerk Chicken marinade
- 1 Yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 2 Medium habanero peppers, or scotch bonnet peppers, seeded and chopped
- 3 Medium scallions, roughly chopped
- 6 Cloves garlic
- 3 Tsp Olive oil, divided
- 2 Tsp Soy sauce
- 2 Tsp Lime juice
- 2 Tsp Brown sugar, packed
- 1 Tsp Ground ginger
- 1 Tsp Dried thyme
- ½ Tsp Kosher salt
- ½ Tsp Cinnamon
- ½ Tsp Allspice
- ¼ Tsp Nutmeg
- ¼ Tsp Black pepper
- 3 Pounds Bone-in chicken thighs and legs, about 8-10 pieces
- parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Add the following ingredients to the bowl of a food processor: lime juice, brown sugar, ginger, thyme, salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, pepper, onion, habanero peppers, scallions, garlic, and two tablespoons of olive oil. Process till it's smooth.
- Transfer the chicken to a big ziplock bag and cover it with the sauce. To make sure all sides of the chicken are coated, seal the bag and shake it around.
- Put in the fridge for three hours or overnight.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Place the chicken on the baking pan after marinating.
- Bake the chicken for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Set the oven to broil for the last 2-3 minutes if you prefer a good char.
- Serve with rice. Garnish with limes and fresh parsley.
Chicken Jerk
In any case, when it comes to cuisine, the word “jerk” is derived from the Peruvian word “charqui.” The term “charqui” describes dried beef sticks, such as jerky. It was a method of cooking beef that produced a smoky flavor and extended its shelf life.
Later, the term “Jerk” was used to describe the mixture of herbs and spices used to season wild animals. Allspice, thyme, nutmeg, and other herbs and spices are typically combined with peppers like Scotch bonnet or habanero chilies to make jerk seasoning. It has a kick to it, indeed!
Ingredients for Chicken
Onions: I like to add some scallions (green onions) and yellow onions to the jerk flavor.
Peppers: As previously mentioned, jerk seasoning frequently uses scotch bonnet peppers. Regarding total heat (yes, they are both on the hotter side) and flavor, I used habanero peppers.
Using habanero peppers has the added benefit of being significantly more accessible at nearby supermarkets and grocery stores. You could use jalapeño peppers if you don’t want spicy spice. Later, I shall elaborate on the spiciness.
Spices and Herbs: Keep the spices and herbs on hand: black pepper, nutmeg, salt, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and thyme.
Chicken: For this recipe, I used bone-in chicken legs and thighs. The chicken was the most tasty and tender.
The Recipe for Jerk Chicken
This dish requires you to marinate the chicken in jerk flavor first. It is recommended that the chicken be marinated for at least three hours and possibly overnight. The longer it is marinated, the more flavor it will have. To create the marinade, put everything (except the chicken) in the bowl of a food processor. Process the ingredients until smooth.
Once the marinade is ready, put the chicken in plastic bags that zip up. After pouring the marinade over the chicken, move it around to ensure the sauce is all over it. After tightly sealing the chicken bag (or bags), place the chicken in the refrigerator. Once more, give the chicken at least three hours to marinate. To maximize the seasoning, I like to leave it overnight.
Place the marinated chicken on a parchment-paper-lined baking pan and preheat the oven. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until its internal temperature reaches 165°F. Set the oven to broil for the final two to three minutes if you want the meat to sear well. Serve with sweet potatoes or rice on the side and a lime wedge sprinkled with parsley.
Does Jerk Chicken Have Heat?
It’s spicy, indeed! The hotness of the chicken comes from the peppers. I used habanero peppers instead of scotch bonnet peppers, which are typically used in jerk recipes. In terms of peppers, the two peppers are comparable on the Scoville Scale of heat. Although Scotch bonnet peppers have a somewhat sweeter flavor, the two are similar.
For milder heat, you may always use just one pepper or jalapeño peppers instead of habanero or scotch bonnet peppers. For comparison, the Scoville Heat Units of a jalapeño pepper range from 2,500 to 5,000, whereas those of a scotch bonnet and habanero pepper range from 100,000 to 350,000. Indeed, there is a significant difference!
Jerk chicken in an air fryer
To prepare this recipe, preheat the air fryer to 350°F. Place the chicken skin side down in the basket in a single layer. After 15 minutes of cooking in the air fryer, turn the chicken over so the skin side faces up.
Cook until the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165°F, which should take another 10 to 15 minutes. (This will take a total of 25–30 minutes.) Compared to the oven method below, the chicken may appear darker.
Follow the recipe’s instructions through step #3 to make Jerk Chicken Wings. Preheat the Air Fryer to 400°F when it’s time to cook. For ten minutes, fry the wings in a single layer. Cook the wings for 8 to 10 minutes after flipping them over. (20 minutes in total.) Because air fryers vary, ensure your temperature.