Jerk Chicken is probably Jamaica’s most iconic dish and this oven-baked version is just as flavorful as the grilled version. This is a recipe you’ll want to save, remake, and pass on to your children. It’s honestly that GOOD.
Jerk Chicken isn’t dry, it is a succulent, highly flavorful meat when done right. If it is dry, this means it has been overcooked. Your Jerk should be a perfect balance between dry and moist, not too much of one or the other. If cooked by charcoal and/or wood fire the way jerk chicken was intended by recipe, no.
What is jerk chicken?
This jerk chicken recipe should come as no surprise…it had to happen sooner or later
Jerk chicken is almost as old as Jamaica itself and is believed to have been developed by enslaved Africans who escaped to Jamaica and combined their cooking techniques with the seasonings and spices of Jamaica’s native Arawak people. Jerk chicken is at its core a dish that symbolizes rebellion against oppression and the uniting of different cultures through food. What could be better than that?!
The term “jerk” refers to both the jerk marinade used to flavor the meat and the method of cooking the chicken. Jerk marinade can be wet or dry, and usually has pimento (all spice), scotch bonnet peppers, thyme, and a mixture of different herbs and spices. Jerk chicken is typically grilled on pimento wood placed over a charcoal fire. Now, who knows why I suddenly had the urge to make jerked chicken in the winter, but one thing was for sure, I was not about to fire up a grill!
Some purists (i.e. my mom) would say jerk chicken cooked in an oven is NOT jerk chicken. And fine, if we’re being particular, it’s not. So for those people, I’ll make a grilled jerk recipe in the summer lol! But I am convinced that after trying this recipe, even the most traditional Jamaican will agree that you can get just as much flavor by cooking jerk chicken in the oven.
What really sets this recipe apart is all the different marinades and rubs we’ll be using.
I already shared a recipe for a wet jerk marinade here. We’ll be using that same marinade today, just applying it to chicken. The wet marinade will stick to the chicken and soak into the meat overnight. This is the first infusion of flavor.
In addition to the wet jerk marinade, we’ll be creating another wet marinade with lots of herbs and seasonings. This second wet marinade is a “green seasoning” which is very common in Caribbean cooking. It’s made with many different ingredients, but usually features thyme, celery, scotch bonnet pepper, tomatoes, all spice, and pimento seeds. This green seasoning will make sure the chicken isn’t one note, and has that complex flavor that makes jerk chicken oh so good.
First, a quick note on to the chicken. I like to use chicken quarters, because the leg and thigh are the most flavorful parts of the chicken, and they won’t get dry from the very high heat we’ll have to use to cook this recipe.
After cleaning the chicken and rubbing it down with lemon juice, apply both wet marinades, along with browning (for color), and additional scotch bonnet peppers if desired. Then we add our dry seasoning. I like to use Adobo seasoning, and salt and pepper. Use your hands to rub everything in and ensure that the chicken is well coated. Let the chicken marinate for at least 1 hour, but preferably over night. Great flavors take time to develop!
Since this is a baked jerk recipe, we will be cooking the chicken in the oven instead of on a grill. To get a crispy exterior, we’ll bake the chicken for 1 hour at 475 degrees F, flipping once halfway through. To ensure a crispy skin, cook the chicken in a cast iron skillet, starting with the skin side down. We are cooking at a very high heat and the cast iron pan will make sure that heat is evenly distributed throughout the chicken.
When the chicken is done, top with fresh lime juice and enjoy. This will disappear in minutes… I guarantee it.
Well that’s it for the week. If you enjoy this recipe, and special shout out to my amazing friends who taste tested this recipe for me!
If you make this recipe, be sure to let me know by rating it and leaving a comment below. I would love to hear from you. And don’t forget to tag #sweetandsorrel on Instagram!
The Secret to Jerk Chicken is Fire
FAQ
Is jerk chicken wet or dry?
Is jerk chicken overcooked?
What should jerk chicken taste like?
Should jerk chicken be pink?
How to cook Jamaican jerk chicken?
Authentic Jamaican Jerk Chicken Recipe that you must try. This recipe tackles multiple ways of cooking jerk chicken. Add vinegar and water to a bowl then wash chicken thoroughly. After washing, drain the chicken and pat dry with a paper towel or clean cloth. Pour homemade marinade over chicken and let it sit for 15 minutes or more.
Can you make Jamaican jerk chicken a day in advance?
There’s nothing like Jamaican jerk chicken fresh off the grill y’all. You can make the marinade 4 days in advance, mixing all the ingredients and storing them in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze this jerk marinade for up to three months. That said, you can definitely make the chicken a day or two ahead of time and reheat it.
Can you cook Jamaican jerk chicken thighs before cooking?
Jamaican Jerk Chicken Thighs are a great prep-ahead recipe. You can puree the jerk marinade and toss it in a bag with the chicken pieces before work. Then come home to a quick and easy grilled dinner that everyone will love. When Do I Know The Chicken Is Fully Cooked?
Does Jamaica have jerk chicken?
Most Jerk Chicken in Jamaica is no longer cooked in pits, but grilled over pimento wood charcoals in a steel drum known as a “jerk pan.” It can be difficult to find pimento wood in the US, so often other fruit woods, which are similarly mild but pungent, are used.