Jerk Chicken Recipe

To me, jerk chicken is something special. It’s smoky, spicy, sweet and packed with flavor. And it makes your whole backyard smell amazing when your cooking it!

Now, I’m no Jamaican pitmaster, but I did my best to stay true to the authentic Jerk Chicken I’ve had in the Caribbean. I started with a killer marinade, added just the right amount of char and even made a fiery dipping sauce to serve with it.

WHAT MALCOM USED IN THIS RECIPE

• Malcom’s Jammin’ Jerk
• Thermoworks Thermapen

Jerk Chicken

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• Author: Malcom Reed

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This spicy jerk chicken recipe is smoky, juicy, and packed with bold Caribbean flavors! Whether you’re grilling or smoking, I’ll show you how to make the BEST jerk chicken with the perfect balance of heat and sweetness.

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Ingredients

For the Chicken & Marinade:

• 1 whole chicken, cut into quarters
• 1 bottle Walkerswood Jerk Marinade
• 1 tablespoon Malcom’s Jammin’ Jerk Seasoning
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 Scotch Bonnet or Habanero pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped (green parts for marinade, white parts for sauce)
• 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 4 oz pineapple juice
• 1 tablespoon Scotch Bonnet pepper sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

For the Jerk Dipping Sauce:

• 1/2 stick butter
• White parts of the green onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Scotch Bonnet or Habanero pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon Scotch Bonnet pepper sauce
• 4–5 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Malcom’s Jammin’ Jerk Seasoning
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• Juice from 1/2 lemon

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Instructions

1. Marinate the Chicken:

• Cut the whole chicken into quarters, separating white and dark meat. Score the chicken breasts with shallow slits to help with even cooking and better flavor absorption.
• Place the chicken quarters in a large ziplock bag. Pour in the jerk marinade and add Malcom’s Jammin’ Jerk seasoning.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining marinade ingredients, then pour into the ziplock bag.
• Squeeze out excess air, seal the bag, and gently massage the marinade into the chicken. Refrigerate overnight (or at least 8 hours).

2. Prepare the Grill:

• Remove the chicken from the marinade and lightly season with a little more Jerk seasoning.
• Set up a charcoal grill for two-zone cooking at 350°F. (I used my Primo ceramic grill, but any grill works.)

3. Cook the Chicken:

• Place the chicken on the indirect side of the grill. Cook for about 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F for white meat and 175°F for dark meat.

4. Make the Jerk Dipping Sauce:

• Place a heavy-bottomed pot directly over the hot coals.
• Add butter, white parts of the green onion, garlic, and peppers. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened.
• Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a gentle boil. Remove from heat and pour into a small dish to cool.

5. Char & Serve:

• Move the chicken quarters to the direct heat side of the grill.
• Sear for 1-2 minutes per side, just until you get that perfect jerk char.
• Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
• Serve hot with the jerk dipping sauce on the side.

Enjoy the bold, smoky, and spicy goodness of this Jerk Chicken!

Malcom Reed
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The post Jerk Chicken appeared first on HowToBBBQRight.

Jerk Chicken Sandwich

With this recipe, you can turn cheap, boneless, skinless chicken thighs into a big ol’ delicious $20 Jerk Chicken Sandwich. Or get some slider buns and make a Jerk Chicken Sandwich bar…

This one is so good because you start with some chicken thighs – they go directly into a jerk marinade. Then get a charcoal grill fire up with some Royal Oak (setup with a two-zone fire). After the chicken soaks for at least 1 hour, it can go directly onto to grill – over the hot coals.

This is when I season the chicken thighs with Jerk Seasoning – right over the fire – because it smells so good! Once the chicken cooks a little, it’s time to glaze it with a Jerk Sauce until chargrilled and caramelized.

To make the Jerk Chicken Sandwich, slice the chargrilled Jerk Chicken and put on a toasted brioche bun with Island Slaw and a Calypso Sauce.

WHAT MALCOM USED IN THIS RECIPE:

• Malcom’s Jammin’ Jerk Seasoning
• BBQ Gloves

Jerk Chicken Sandwich

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• Author: Malcom Reed

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Chargrilled SPICY Jerk Chicken Sandwich

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Ingredients

• 3–4lbs boneless skinless thighs

Jerk Marinade

• 3 green onions chopped
• 2 scotch bonnet peppers (more if you like it hot!)
• 2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 1/2 Tablespoon black pepper
• 1 heaping Tablespoon Malcom’s Jammin’ Jerk Seasoning

Jerk Glaze

• 1/2 cup Ketchup
• 3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Malcom’s Jammin’ Jerk Seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 dashes cayenne pepper
• 2 dashes white pepper

For the Jerk Chicken Sandwiches

• 1 pack of hamburger buns (lightly toasted)
• Green leaf lettuce
• Dill pickle slices
• Island Slaw (recipe below)
• Calypso Sauce (recipe below)

Island Slaw

• 4 Tablespoons Blue Plate Mayo
• 2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 bag of cole slaw mix
• 2 green onions chopped
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1 Tablespoon finely diced scotch bonnet pepper
• 1 cup fresh pineapple chopped

Calypso Sauce

• 1/2 cup Blue Plate Mayo
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 TBS scotch bonnet pepper hot sauce
• dash of white pepper
• season to taste with salt & black pepper

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Instructions

1. Place the boneless skinless chicken thighs in a large ziplock bag. Combine the marinade ingredients and pour over the chicken. Close the bag and gently toss to coat each thigh. Place the bag in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
2. Prepare a 2 zone charcoal grill – hot side and indirect side.
3. Add the marinated chicken to the hot side of the grill working in batches. Season with additional jerk seasoning right on the grill.
4. Flip and turn the chicken often until internal temp reaches 165.
5. Brush each piece with the jerk glaze – recipe above.
6. Continue to cook until the thighs reach 175 internal – it should be slightly charred and sticky from the glaze.
7. After a short rest slice the thighs into small strips.

Island Slaw Directions

1. In a small bowl combine the mayo, Dijon, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix until smooth.
2. Place the bag of Cole slaw mix in a large mixing bowl. Add the green onion, diced red onion, scotch bonnet pepper, and pineapple.
3. Toss it together using tongs and add the dressing mixture.
4. Mix the slaw with tongs and cover with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

To build the sandwiches: Spread the calypso sauce on the top and bottom bun Layer on the dill pickle slices and lettuce. Pile on the jerk chicken and island slaw then the top half of the bun.

Malcom Reed
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The post Jerk Chicken Sandwich appeared first on HowToBBBQRight.

Photo by Rob Baas.

Updated for 2025

What Makes Jamaican Jerk So Fiery?

As anyone who has eaten real-deal Jamaican jerk can tell you, it hurts. Smoke gets in your eyes and Scotch bonnet chiles scorch your gullet.

“You need to sweat while you’re eating jerk,” says my friend, Gary Feblowitz (we met on the set of Project Smoke).

An Emmy award-winning videographer (you’ve seen his work on the Discovery Channel and PBS), Feblowitz is one of jerk’s most zealous evangelists. The license plate on his SUV reads “JRKMSTR.” (I’m guessing that would play well in Kingston, but might be misinterpreted in Gary’s home state of Minnesota.)

The Story Behind Authentic Jerk Ingredients

Gary’s jerk epiphany occurred when a vacation to Jamaica was extended two weeks by a medical emergency that prohibited air travel. He knew the key to authentic jerk was the pimento (allspice) tree—its fruit (allspice berries), leaves, and especially, its fragrant wood. He wanted to import these ingredients into the U.S., but the Jamaican government had banned pimento exports in the early 1900s after demand for the dense, beautiful wood nearly wiped out the supply. (At the time, it was popular for umbrella handles.) Gary proposed to use only trim or felled trees and plant three for every one he imported. The Jamaican officials agreed.

Gary Feblowitz (left), owner of Exotic Wood Chips, LLC, with Steven Raichlen on the set of Project Smoke. In addition to being a jerkmaster, Gary is an Emmy award-winning videographer. Photo by Rob Baas.

Like North American barbecue, Jamaican jerk is simultaneously a dish, a cooking method, and a way of life—a noun and a verb.

Historically, jerk is associated with the Maroons, runaway slaves who settled in the mountains when the British defeated their Spanish owners in 1655. The Maroons hunted wild boar, which they rubbed with a fiery paste of salt, spices, onions, ginger, and chiles, and cooked it slowly over smoldering pimento or laurel wood fires in earthen pits. The method tenderized and preserved the meat, and more importantly, produced little smoke, which would have given away their positions. (Cuba’s lechon asado and Hawaii’s kālua pig are similar.)

Modern Jamaican Jerk: Methods and Proteins

Today, Jamaica’s “jerkmen” are more likely to cook in modified steel drums or shallow trough-like grills covered with sheets of corrugated tin. Once you master the basics, you can jerk almost any protein on your gas or charcoal grill or smoker. Chicken and pork are the most popular meats, but I’ve also encountered jerk snapper, lobster, shrimp, and even tofu. Gary confided one of his favorite preparations is jerk brisket. We can’t wait to try that!

Key Ingredients in Jamaican Jerk Seasoning

Most jerk ingredients are available at any supermarket.

• Scotch bonnet chile: One of the world’s most fiery chiles (100,000 to 350,000 Scoville units), with a sweet heat that blooms in the mouth rather than bludgeons. But still approach with caution. For less heat, seed the peppers. If you cannot find Scotch bonnets, substitute habaneros. Wear gloves when handling.
• Pimento wood: This fragrant tropical tree is one of the defining flavors of jerk. To be strictly authentic, cook the food on a grate of pimento wood sticks and generate smoke with pimento wood chips. Because it is so dense, the sticks can be reused if you work over a low fire.
• Pimento berries and leaves: Pimento berries—also called allspice—are available in the spice aisle of most supermarkets. Be sure to buy whole berries, not ground allspice. Gary (see website above) usually carries dried pimento leaves. If they are unavailable, substitute bay leaves.

Get The Recipes

Cooking Tips for Authentic Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Use fresh ingredients whenever possible: Fresh scallions, thyme, and Scotch bonnet peppers make a huge difference in flavor compared to dried or bottled substitutes.

Marinate overnight: Let your chicken soak in the jerk marinade for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight, to deeply infuse those bold, spicy flavors.

Get your grill ready for indirect heat: Jamaican jerk is traditionally cooked low and slow over indirect heat, often with pimento wood smoke if you can find it. This helps develop that smoky crust without burning the spices.

Don’t rush the cooking: Keep the grill temperature around 275-300°F (135-150°C) and cook the chicken slowly. This locks in moisture and allows the spices to caramelize nicely.

Use a meat thermometer: Cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) for safe, juicy results.

Add smoke for extra flavor: If you have a smoker or pellet grill, adding a bit of wood smoke (hickory, apple, or preferably pimento wood) enhances that authentic jerk aroma.

Baste occasionally: Spoon or brush reserved marinade or a bit of oil on the chicken during cooking to keep it moist and flavorful.

Rest before serving: Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes after cooking. This helps the juices redistribute for a tender bite.

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The post Go for the Burn: Authentic Jamaican Jerk at Home appeared first on Barbecuebible.com.