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African & Caribbean Recipes & Guides

Jamaican Jerk Chicken Recipe: Oven, Grill and Air Fryer

By Adnane Ouro, Yado Market Team  •  3 min read

Shop Grace Jerk Seasoning · $5.99 →

Jamaican jerk chicken at home

Smoky, spicy, sweet with allspice and hot with scotch bonnet. You don't need a jerk drum to make good jerk chicken: an overnight marinade and a hot oven, grill or air fryer will get you close. Here is the full timeline, three ways to cook it and what to serve on the side. From our African and Black-owned store in Chicago.

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Jar of Jamaican jerk seasoning

What makes it jerk?

Jerk is both a seasoning and a way of cooking. The marinade is built on two Jamaican ingredients: allspice (called pimento in Jamaica) and scotch bonnet peppers, with scallion, thyme, garlic and ginger.1 The meat is then cooked slowly over fire, traditionally over pimento wood, which gives it its smoke.1,2

Where jerk comes from. Jerk is most often linked to the Maroons, Africans who escaped slavery and built free communities in Jamaica's mountains. They seasoned wild hog with local spices and cooked it slowly over pimento wood fires, a method that drew on both African and Indigenous Taíno cooking.2,3

What you need

3 lb chickenthighs and legs, skin on
¼ cup jerk seasoningmild or hot
1 limejuice only
2 tbsp oilany neutral oil
1 tsp ground pimentoor 10 crushed berries
2 scallionschopped, optional
Meat thermometerto check 165°F
Whole pimentofor smoke on the grill

The jerk timeline

Night beforeMarinate

Cut slashes in 3 lb chicken thighs and legs. Rub in ¼ cup jerk seasoning, juice of 1 lime, 2 tbsp oil and 1 tsp ground pimento. Cover and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours.

1 hour beforeRest

Take the chicken out of the fridge. Soak a handful of whole pimento berries in water if you are grilling.

Cook45 min oven / 35 min grill

See the methods below. Turn once or twice and brush with a little more marinade in the first half only.

Check165°F inside

Use a meat thermometer in the thickest part, away from the bone. Chicken is safe at 165°F.

Rest5 minutes

Let it rest on a board, then chop into pieces with a heavy knife, Jamaican street style.

Oven, grill or air fryer

Oven

400°F · 40 to 45 min

Bake on a rack over a tray, skin side up. Broil 3 to 5 minutes at the end to char the edges.

Grill

Medium heat · 30 to 40 min

Cook over indirect heat with the lid down. Throw soaked pimento berries on the coals for smoke. Finish over direct heat to char.

Air fryer

380°F · 20 to 25 min

Cook in one layer, turning halfway. Best for thighs and wings.

Whatever the method, chicken is done at 165°F in the thickest part.4

What to serve with jerk chicken

Rice and peasFestivalHard dough breadFried plantainRoast breadfruitColeslaw

Jerk chicken FAQ

Is jerk seasoning very spicy?

It depends on the jar. Mild versions still have scotch bonnet but less of it. Hot versions are hot. Start with mild and add scotch bonnet sauce at the table.

How long should I marinate jerk chicken?

At least 4 hours, best overnight (12 to 24 hours) in the fridge.

Can I make jerk chicken in the oven?

Yes. Bake at 400°F for 40 to 45 minutes, then broil 3 to 5 minutes for a charred finish.

What temperature is jerk chicken done?

165°F in the thickest part, measured with a meat thermometer.

What is pimento in jerk?

Pimento is the Jamaican name for allspice. The berries go in the marinade, and the wood of the pimento tree is the traditional fuel for smoking jerk.

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