Spicy Caribbean Jerk Chicken: Flavorful Grilled Delight 🌶🍗

Jerk Chicken Recipe

🍗 Description: Dive into the bold flavors of this Jerk Chicken recipe from lovewithrecipes.com. It’s a delightful fusion of spices and heat, perfect for a flavorful meal any day of the week.

🕒 Cook Time: 35 minutes
🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
🕒 Total Time: 45 minutes

🍽 Servings: 8

📝 Ingredients:

• 3 scotch bonnet peppers
• 6 habanero peppers
• 3 scallions
• 3 shallots
• 1 garlic bulb
• 3 inches of fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons of fresh thyme leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of ground allspice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of black pepper
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 1/2 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tablespoon of nutmeg
• 1/4 tablespoon of ground cloves
• 8 chicken legs

🔥 Instructions:

1. Prepare the Jerk Paste:

   • Remove stems, seeds, and ribs from 2 scotch bonnet peppers and 2 habanero peppers, then coarsely chop them.
   • Coarsely chop the remaining scotch bonnet pepper and habanero pepper, including the seeds (for a milder flavor, seed half of each pepper before chopping).
   • In a food processor, blend the chopped peppers with scallions, shallots, garlic, ginger, thyme leaves, allspice, black pepper, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until a thick paste forms.

2. Marinate the Chicken:

   • Cut several 1-inch-long slits in each piece of chicken.
   • Rub the prepared jerk paste all over the chicken, making sure to massage it into the slits for maximum flavor infusion.
   • Cover the chicken and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight for enhanced flavor.

3. Grilling Method:

   • If using a charcoal kettle grill, wait until the charcoal turns grayish white and you can hold your hand 5 inches above the top rack for 3 to 4 seconds.
   • Grill the chicken, skin sides down first, on a portion of the lightly oiled grill rack with no coals underneath. Turn occasionally until cooked through, which should take about 20 to 30 minutes.

4. Gas Grill Method:

   • Preheat all burners on high until the thermostat registers 500°F.
   • Turn off one burner and reduce the heat on the remaining burner(s) to medium (thermostat should read 350 to 375°F).
   • Grill the chicken, skin sides down first, on a portion of the lightly oiled grill rack over the unlit burner. Cover and turn occasionally until cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes.

5. Oven Roasting Method:

   • If grilling isn’t an option, preheat your oven to 450°F.
   • Arrange the marinated chicken, skin sides up, in two large shallow flameproof baking pans (1 inch deep) on the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
   • Roast the chicken, switching the position of the pans halfway through cooking, until cooked through, approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
   • Once cooked, turn on the broiler and broil the chicken about 4 inches from the heat until the skin is browned and crisp, for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.

This Jerk Chicken recipe promises a burst of Caribbean-inspired flavors with every bite, making it a surefire hit for your next gathering or family dinner. Enjoy the tantalizing aroma and spicy kick of this delicious dish!