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5 from 2 votes

Easy Grilled Jerk Chicken

Grilled Jerk Chicken is a popular Jamaican dish with an incredible blend of spices and heat. Grill it or bake it for a taste of the islands.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Marinate1 hour
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Kristin Maxwell

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon thyme
  • 1 tablespoon allspice
  • 1 teaspoon cloves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1/2 small onion minced
  • 3 tablespoons rum (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • juice of 2 limes
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 habanero chili seeds removed, cut in half
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts 

Instructions

  • Into a small bowl add dry ingredients (thyme, allspice, cloves, salt, pepper and brown sugar.) Stir until well combined. Add the minced garlic, minced onions, rum (optional) olive oil, water, lime juice and soy sauce. Mix well.
  • Place chicken pieces into a resealable plastic bag, then dump the spice/liquid mixture over the top. (If chicken pieces are very thick, you can lightly pound them first).
  • Add the habanero chili pieces to the bag. (See notes about level of heat.)
  • Press out as much air as possible and seal the bag. Using your hands, massage the marinade into the chicken so it is completely coated.
  • Place the bag into the fridge for a minimum of one hour or up to 24 hours.
  • When ready to cook, remove the bag from the fridge while you preheat your grill to medium heat (about 350 degrees).
  • Using tongs, place the chicken breasts on the hot grill cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F; about 10 minutes per side. Thicker pieces may take longer. Resist the urge to turn the heat to high as it could burn the marinade.
  • Cooking low and slow gives you moist on the inside and a flavor crust on the outside.

Notes

This recipe is an adaptation of a newspaper clipping from the Omaha World Herald in the mid 1980's.
If you want your jerk chicken spicier, you can mince the habanero and not remove the pepper before grilling.  The heat will be much more present when you take a bite!

Nutrition

Calories: 372kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 1100mg | Potassium: 926mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 187IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg

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