Before I went to Jamaica for the first time, everyone {and their dog} told me that i must try the Jerk Chicken. Not having tried it before, I was curious, and always game for a new chicken dish to fall in love with. So I did.
Yep, love at first bite.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken is and always will be a dish that reminds me of sweet Caribbean air, waves kissing the shore, sun and tropical bliss. Funny how some foods bring you back and memories take over.
Once home, and in the bitter cold Canadian Winter, my husband asked if I could make Jamaican Jerk Chicken. I’m sure it could be done, and I bet it takes really good. Yet, I was worried that it wouldn’t be the same. That without the founding beautiful location, having this here would somehow squash those memories where food meets memory.
Ultimately, my craving for this delicious chicken won. I had to get my Jamaican Jerk Chicken fix! So, I tried it …
Making Jamaican Jerk Chicken at home requires a few ingredients for the marinade. While there’s quite a few variations on the recipe, I focused primarily on the Sandals Lifestyle one, since I fell in love with Jamaican Jerk Chicken at Sandals Resorts Negril.
Yet, I did change around their recipe a little. I added some lime juice and real habanero peppers are so hard to come by in small city Alberta. Instead, I opted for a Red Habanero Hot Sauce which I picked up at a small and quaint Mexican shop downtown. Which, as a side note, might be one of my favourite shops now.
This Jamaican Jerk Chicken recipe calls for a lot of hotness in the form of peppers, onions, scallions, garlic, ginger, allspice. As a warning: your eyes will water when cutting, chopping and the action of just pouring the mixture over the chicken.
The house will fill with the warmest spice, who knew this alone could make you think that you are actually eating this hot mixture. It’s almost unbelievable.
In fact, all day I wondered if perhaps this could be too spicy hot for myself to enjoy, especially the kids. Again, I was worried.
Yet, here’s the saving grace – when done and you take a bite, it’s not intense and never too much. The hotness cuts down a lot and instead you are left with flavour. Great flavour.
It’s true, this Jamaican Jerk Chicken tastes very similar to the original. It’s not the same, to me at least, but it’s so close that I get that incredible feeling of nostalgia. If I close my eyes {and shush the kids}, I can envision myself on that beach patio. For a minute at least. Hey, I’ll take what I can get!
Next time I make this, it will be BBQ’ed though. I opted for oven-cooked this time, yet I’m sure it would be even closer to the real-deal if the chicken were grilled. Right now I’m adding ‘making Jamaican Jerk Chicken on the BBQ’ to my list of a billion things I love about Summer.
Here’s the full recipe and I urge you to give it a try. Again, don’t let the ingredients scare you away if you are more of a ‘mild than hot’ person. Trust me, I am that way most of the time and I LOVE this recipe!
- 1 tablespoon Red Habanero Hot Sauce
- 2 tablespoons stemmed fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground allspice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
- ¾ cup chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped scallions using the white and the green parts
- 5 chicken pieces {leg with back attached is what I use}
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- Juice squeezed out of 3 Limes
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Mince the first 8 ingredients {except for the soy sauce and chicken} in a food processor, until it's a fine mixture.
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Stir in the soy sauce.
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Place chicken parts into a baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
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Pour mixture over the chicken and make sure all sides of the chicken is coated.
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Marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, to overnight.
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Bring chicken to room temperate before cooking
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Cook at 375 for 1 hour and 25 minutes or until the outside is crispy and chicken is well cooked.
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Enjoy with fries and a salad if you wish {coleslaw or caesar}
Looking for more Chicken Recipes to enjoy?
- Chicken Antogitos
- Hurry Chicken
- Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
- Chicken Clubhouse Bites and Skewers
- Easy Chicken Lettuce Wraps
That really does sound amazing. I’ll have to see if I can find all the ingredients at our local store.
Substitute the habanero if you need to, that was the hardest for me to find. yet, we do live North… boo! lol
My husband would love this! def going to have to give this one a shot!
Let me know what you think when you do!! 🙂
My husband has been getting into spices like this, so I bet he would love it! Normally I wouldn’t try this, but you have me sold!!
I normally don’t like a lot of intense spices, yet this is delicious. Definitely worth a try!!
I love spicy foods! This sounds delicious.
This ones for you then, Stacie!! 🙂
This looks amazing, I am a big fan of Jerk chicken, it is spicy and flavorful and yours looks so very good.
Thanks Susan!!
With the hot sauce and allspice, my husband would be in love with this recipe! I’m not very good with spicy meals, but I would definitely make this for him!
Let me know how it goes!! 🙂
I absolutely LOVE Jerk Chicken! I have to try this Jamaican version! It sounds amazing! I never would have thought allspice would be included.
Truthfully, I’ve never made anything with Allspice, I had to buy some. What else can I use it for?
Thanks for the recipe! My husband would absolutely love this!
You are very welcome Anne!
Oh wow this looks so delicious!!!
Thanks Kristin, let me know if you try it!!
Your jerk chicken recipe looks delicious! I am going to have to try this, we love jerk chicken!
Nice! Jerk Chicken lovers unite!!! 🙂
That does sound absolutely delicious; Kudos to you for making it!
Thanks Brenda!! 🙂
This looks so good. I’m going to have to try it for dinner soon!
🙂
Love me some jerk. One day I will have some in Jamaica!!
My husband loves to grill, so this would be a great change-up for our usual burgers and hot dogs! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Fantastic!!
Yum my mouth is watering. We’ll have to try this jerk chicken.
🙂
Ooh yummy, I’ve always been curious about Jamaican Jerk Chicken.. but never got around to making it. Sounds like I have a new recipe to try. This sounds delish!
It’s easier than I thought too! Glad I tried it!
Looks wonderful! I love Jerk Chicken and will definitely want to try this recipe! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
You are very welcome!! 🙂
I would love to try jerk chicken. Looks very good!
🙂
I’m thinking marinade it overnight and let that flavor explode!
For sure!!
MMM this sounds amazing! What a wonderful memory you have associated with it!
I tried Jerk Chicken in the best place possible, great memories indeed!
Yea, that looks absolutely amazing! I’ll have to try and make this soon.
🙂
This sounds so good and whether the cuts down a little or not, I’ll love it. I do love a bit of fire.
Pile it on then Liz!! 😉
That sounds delicious! I have never had anything jerk recipe related before,
I’ll try Jerk Shrimp next I think!
Never had jerk chicken, must try it!
I have never been to Jamaica, but maybe someday.. Delicious recipe:)
This looks so delicious, thank you for sharing!
I fell in love with Jerk Chicken at a Beaches in Jamaica so I will definitely have to try this. I have been using jerk seasoning from the Bulk Barn and it is tasty but does match what we had in Jamaica. Thanks for sharing.
Sounds very good, and ya that was my biggest concern was the spicy and hotness of this dish, but after reading your post and I will trust you that it’s not to hot after all, I am going to make this as I too am always looking for new ways to jazz my chicken up a bit…thanks for sharing!
This sounds really good! I am always looking for new ideas for chicken. YUM!
I have never tried Jerk Chicken but I have heard amazing things about it, may have to give your recipe a try once we get the BBQ up and running.
I love super spicy so jerk chicken is one of my favorites too. I can’t wait for BBQ season!
i am going to make this, hubby will love all the spices,since he does not eat salt,thanks
This recipe looks so good! I’ve never made or even tried Jamaican Jerk Chicken! Where have I been?!
Love to try this
this looks absolutely mouthwateringly delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe, pinned to try for later!
This sounds awesome Tammi! I will have to try it. We, also stayed at Sandals Negril and fell in love with the Jamaicans and their beautiful country! Do you drain off the marinade before baking? Thanks for doing the work to make and share this recipe. 😀
I love Jerk Chicken! One of my faves! Yours looks so good!
Sounds delicious. I’ve never had Jamaican Jerk Chicken but looks yummy.
I’ve never eaten Jerk anything before..and you definitely have convinced me it’s something I need to make now!
And now you made me courious about trying it!! Guess I will be hosting a. Jamaican themed dinner this weekend
would absolutely love this; I know!!!