In Memory Of Karen Nicole Smith, 1972 - 2016

Classic Jerk Chicken Wings In the Oven.


Some of you will be saying “Chris this is just your original jerk marinade scaled down”, but with Tehya in the kitchen with me… I had to do this from scratch for her. This chile keeps having craving for spicy food, so this time when she came to me to make up a batch of jerk wings for her, I told her it’s time she learned how to organize it herself. You can see her in action in the jerk chicken wings video I posted late last night on the food channel.

I must mention that there’s no comparison to making this over coals on a grill, but with winter approaching I wanted to give you guys the option to be able to do this in the oven indoors. Now don’t get me wrong… no winter will ever stop me from grilling on the BBQ as I have no problem dressing like Sasquatch and taking on the cold to do my thing on the BBQ outside.

You’ll Need…

2 scallions (green onions)
5 sprigs of fresh thyme (about 1 tablespoon chopped)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Habanero pepper (scotch bonnet or any that you like)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 onion
1/4 cup orange juice
2 cloves garlic

3 lbs chicken wings.

The first thing we have to do is make the jerk marinade. Give the onion, garlic, hot pepper and scallions a rough chop so it’s easier for the blender or food processor to work it into the runny consistency we’ll need. Remember to wear gloves when working with peppers with extreme heat like habanero and scotch bonnet.

Basically all we need to do now is pour everything into the food processor and give it a few pulses until you get a sort of smooth (runny) consistency.

* If you don’t have access to a food processor or blender, you can certainly chop everything as fine as you can and give it all a good mix in a bowl.

 We then washed the chicken wings with some lemon juice (you can use lime or vinegar as well – about 3-4 tablespoons) and rinsed with cool water and drain. Pat dry with paper towels so the marinade can really stick onto the wings. Pour 1/3 of the marinade on the wings and using your hands, massage the wings with this lovely jerk marinade. Allow this to marinate for at least 30 minutes, before you place it into a 400 degree oven (middle rack).

 After 30 minutes we took it out of the oven to give it a good stir (flip wings) and put back for another 30 minutes.

The last 5 minutes you can turn on the broiler setting and allow the wings to get a rich brown color with a sort of toasted edges. You may have to give them a flip to ensure all sides gets this lovely sort of charred look.

You will notice there will be a sort of gravy formed at the bottom, this is excellent to pour over peas and rice to accompany these jerk chicken wings.

Tips: Line your baking dish with aluminum foil or use a disposable pan when roasting these in the oven as I did (it will make clean-up much easier). Add some brown sugar and fresh ginger to the marinade for that extra kick of flavor. Remember that most of the heat in peppers are in the seeds and area around the seeds. So if you want to cut back on the heat level, remove the seeds.

To make dry wings, simply place the wings on a wire rack over your baking dish after the wings have been marinating. This will give you crispy wings which will be packed with a good punch of Jamaican jerk goodness.

Tehya was quite happy with the final outcome of her first jerk chicken wings and though she was a bit hesitant to use the large chef’s knife to chop the onions etc.. she was very proud of her accomplishment. In future videos/recipes I’ll try to include Indy and Kieana so you guys can get to know them better and they can learn how to cook so they too can carry on our culinary traditions. It’s time we got our children involved in the kitchen and away from all the other distractions (video games, computer, cell phones.. boys!)

Before I forget… the remaining jerk marinade can be stored in a plastic bowl in the fridge for at least a week or frozen for a couple months.

Before you go I invite you to leave me your comments below.. even if it just to say hello. It’s always appreciated. And don’t forget to join us on facebook and do check out the cooking videos.

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66 Comments

  1. Gemma Mejias
    May 2, 2019 / 10:26 am

    I am definitely trying this out this weekend. Looks delish

  2. Cheryl
    April 14, 2018 / 7:16 pm

    This is an awesome recipe and super easy to make. I have made it multiple times with great results. I will try it with the ginger and brown sugar next time.

  3. Rose
    November 23, 2016 / 4:21 am

    This looks rather easy. Will certainly give it a try. Thanks Chris!!

  4. Lydia Tauwnaar
    October 15, 2016 / 2:59 am

    This is what I will make this evening. Thanks, Chris!
    Have a good weekend.

  5. October 12, 2016 / 5:38 pm

    Looks real good Chris . this is a must-try for me. Thank you for your splendid recipes.

  6. Shirma
    July 20, 2016 / 2:27 pm

    Hi Chris, must try this, however I am not sure where to use the vegetable oil. Can you enlighten me please.

  7. praim sankar
    January 25, 2016 / 3:15 pm

    I think Sasquatch doesn’t wear clothes 🙂

  8. Rachelle P
    November 14, 2015 / 4:51 pm

    Can these be fixed in the crockpot and then put in to broil for about 10 minutes?

    • admin
      November 15, 2015 / 3:41 pm

      most def.. just try to NOT overcook though.

  9. John
    May 15, 2015 / 10:22 am

    Regarding heat in chiles – the seeds themselves are not hot. It is the placenta that is attached to the seed that is hot. If you want chiles to be less hot, scraping the placenta out of the pepper will do the trick. If you just scrape the seeds out, but leave that ‘filmy’ white stuff, the real heat is still there. So, cut your pepper in half, scrape the ‘ribs’ out and then you can enjoy the flavor of the chile without the heat.

    • admin
      May 15, 2015 / 5:00 pm

      the membrane you speak about is correct (contains most of the heat).. however.. the seeds are deadly as well. if you make sauces with the seeds and ever come across one while eating you’ll know what I mean. i speak from experience.

  10. erica
    April 19, 2015 / 8:46 am

    so for Sunday dinner my mother in law wants me to cook. As nervous as I am , I’m going to try this recip . I don’t want to cook a Puerto Rican dish… so WISH ME LUCKY !!!!!

  11. richard
    March 27, 2015 / 6:09 pm

    Marry en aide was wattery, but 24 hr+ it coated…threm them on the grill…WOWZA!!! Winner winner chicken wing dinner..will make again..

  12. December 10, 2014 / 3:44 pm

    LOVE chicken wings any which you cook them!! lol and I’m trying this recipe even tho I live in Florida!!

  13. March 4, 2014 / 12:12 pm

    I’m doing jerk wings and rice and peas, so far so good, only difference is I’m using a roaster oven…, now to make my carrot punch, in which my kids love, thanks Chris I pray your continued success !!!!

  14. Kerryann
    February 8, 2014 / 10:55 am

    I’m about to try this right now..yum yum yummmy

  15. Jennifer Cook
    January 30, 2014 / 10:21 am

    I will be trying this for my friend’s Super Bowl Party. TBC….

  16. Savannah
    January 23, 2014 / 10:27 pm

    I cooked mine in the oven for about double the time. The wings were flavorful and the meat was falling off the bone. Whipped up some collard greens and fried plantains and my man and I enjoyed our Jamaican inspired feast. Thanks!

  17. Christina
    January 19, 2014 / 2:07 pm

    Marinade was runny as described. That’s OK, still coats the wings, still tastes great. Heated up the remaining marinade and used as a dip, BEAUTIFUL!

  18. Consuelo
    January 10, 2014 / 4:35 pm

    I’m trying these wings, they so decadent…
    but I must say I am a little nervous to play around with island spices!! Stay bless.

  19. October 12, 2013 / 4:41 pm

    hi .looks delicious

  20. Curious
    June 26, 2013 / 3:52 pm

    My marinade looked watery???

    • Lamont W
      November 11, 2013 / 4:36 pm

      I agree, my miranade was a bit watery. I am gonna give it a shot though. Wish me luck

    • Tiny P.
      May 30, 2014 / 2:20 pm

      I tried this 6 months ago and my husband loved it, making it again tonight.

    • Tiny P.
      May 30, 2014 / 2:21 pm

      I tried this 6 months ago and my husband loved it, making it again tonight. I need to know how to grill the wings now.

  21. Sean
    May 15, 2013 / 7:01 pm

    Wasnt the red, BBQy type jerk I'm used to but the flavors were great, wonderful wings. Only the grill could have made this better! Thanks!

  22. Anna K
    April 8, 2013 / 11:28 pm

    Made my mouth water just looking at the end result. I will be trying this recipe.

  23. geekgourmet
    March 8, 2013 / 11:04 am

    I found 1/3 of a cup wasn't enough to really coat the wings. Do you pour any of the remainder 2/3 cup over the wings before you cook them in oven? Am I missing something? The recipe makes about a cup of marinade. In the video it looks like you pour the full cup, or close to it, from the food processor bowl.

  24. Sm251
    February 4, 2013 / 8:53 am

    Made this for Super Bowl last night. It was delicious and a big hit!

  25. Alison
    February 3, 2013 / 6:37 pm

    Just finished baking. My family loves them. Will keep this in my recipe file. Thank you, Chris.

  26. Jeff
    February 3, 2013 / 1:52 pm

    put marinade together yesterday, they've been soaking for 24 hours and will be going in pre-Super Bowl….thanks for the recipe, will post outcome 🙂

  27. jennifer
    January 26, 2013 / 1:40 pm

    I want to try this with buffolo wings iam sure they will turn out the same , and might last a little longer Thanks Chris

  28. Alf
    January 25, 2013 / 5:39 am

    I must try this recipe, looks yummy. Thanks Chris.

  29. melinda
    November 10, 2012 / 11:45 pm

    im trying it for the first time, so i hope it come out good, didnt have all the ingredients, so i had to subsitute somethings so i will get on tomorrow for the verdict.

  30. Karen
    August 29, 2012 / 12:10 pm

    Was looking for a "Jerk" recipe for a cookout this labor day weekend. This was the 5th I've read, and I am gonna go with this one. Thanks for the recipe and I will let you know how it turned out

  31. Mira
    August 10, 2012 / 12:22 pm

    Love your easy and delicious recipes and extra pointers including the one on children,anything to keep them away from electronic gadgets! Thank you!

  32. jay
    August 4, 2012 / 11:08 am

    just made this! cooking it for 3 hours and cooked on high height to give that charv at the end! amazing dish i must say. bravo! this site will be added to my all time favs for multicultural cooking!

  33. joesph deantoio90
    June 19, 2012 / 1:31 pm

    your chicken wyngz gets me hot 😉

  34. Theresa
    June 9, 2012 / 6:01 pm

    I love your jerk chicken wings

  35. James
    April 11, 2012 / 7:33 pm

    Just made this for the first time. It smells really good (different from a store bought) and I am marinating my wings now. I used two full peppers because my family likes it hot (Trini background). I am going to grill with smoke indirectly on a charcoal grill tomorrow after the marinade has overnight to soak right in. I am excited to try them. I will post a follow up with feedback once everyone tries.

    Thanks for the recipe Chris!

    • James
      April 19, 2012 / 7:57 am

      OK, this was a huge hit. once marinated over night and grilled I didn't have enough to satisfy my family. Excellent jerk recipe!

  36. Tosha
    March 3, 2012 / 1:33 pm

    Hi Chris, thanks for the recipes!!! Am I suppose to cook the chicken in the marinade and do I cover the chicken while it's in the oven?

  37. celina
    February 29, 2012 / 7:17 am

    celina
    i always enjoy your cooking

  38. Joi
    December 28, 2011 / 4:28 pm

    This look delish. Will try it tomorrow. Thanks!!

  39. Carlene
    November 3, 2011 / 10:10 am

    I am definately trying this tomorrow

  40. DFG
    November 3, 2011 / 9:45 am

    THE OIL ALSO GOES IN THE MARINADE?

    • jumbieg
      November 3, 2011 / 10:55 am

      Yes, it goes into the marinade.

  41. KWE
    November 3, 2011 / 9:38 am

    WHAT BRAND SOY SAUCE DO YOU USE

    • jumbieg
      November 3, 2011 / 10:56 am

      I don't recall which one I have, but just about any would work as the main flavors are from the spices and pepper.

  42. Pres
    October 29, 2011 / 8:20 pm

    Yes and thumbs up for taking back our children!!!

  43. Pres
    October 29, 2011 / 8:07 pm

    Hey Chris I just love love love you recipes!!! Do you have a cookbook?

  44. Nicole
    October 17, 2011 / 6:14 pm

    Hi Chris! I love the idea of grilling the chicken in the sauce it makes it even hotter. But another way, my mother cooks jerk chicken is finely chopping the seasoned vegetables for the marinade and using it later for the sauce that's cooked in the oven. She bakes the chicken on a wire rack at 350 degrees. The excess that drips off of the chicken into the pan below is what she uses not only base the chicken to keep it's moisture but when the chicken is done cooking she adds the marinade to the pan to cook for about 15mins until somewhat thick. This makes the chicken nice and moist on the inside with an added kick from the sauce that you can add to your meal. Mmmmm gooood!!! Let me know if you try it.

    • jumbieg
      November 3, 2011 / 10:56 am

      I'll have to try your way next time. Sounds delicious.

  45. Michael Malone
    October 17, 2011 / 4:02 pm

    Chris… thanks Bro for sharing this introduction into your culture. I'm a WASP from Florida, but, love to learn new recipes from every culture. Going to go shopping tomorrow for supplies to make this and will reply later as to how it turns out. Michael in Orlando… PS No need to reply, just wanted to thank you for sharing.

    • jumbieg
      November 3, 2011 / 10:57 am

      thx for leaving the comment – always appreciated

  46. mattewrc
    October 15, 2011 / 12:40 pm

    Chris,
    Can you give us temperature settings/time directions for grilling? Also when grilling do you baste with remaining marinade? Love your site! Have made several of your recipes and they are always awesome!
    -Matt

    • jumbieg
      November 3, 2011 / 10:58 am

      I would grill at about 375, but indirect as not to over-char the wings. And yes I would indeed baste with the marinade.. but stop the last 3-5 mins so you get that rich dark grilling colour

      • mattewrc
        November 13, 2011 / 7:54 am

        Thanks chris! making them for the 5th time again today for football

  47. Wendy Talbot
    October 13, 2011 / 12:28 pm

    Hi Chris
    __ Tomorrow Is A Holiday In The Bahamas,Colombus Day So God's Will Tomorrow I Will P
    repare These Jerk Wings With Some Peas And Rice With Coconut Milk And Macroni And cheese.Also Potato Bread For Dessert .Thanks Again .

  48. Ginnelle
    October 11, 2011 / 12:53 pm

    looks great!! will try it tonight… what are the measurements for the addition of brown sugar & ginger? thanks Chris as always…

    • jumbieg
      October 11, 2011 / 12:56 pm

      I would probably do a tablespoon of brown sugar and about 1/2 tablespoon ginger..more if you really like the 'punch' of ginger.

  49. Anika
    October 10, 2011 / 1:54 pm

    Can't wait to try this

  50. jane
    October 10, 2011 / 1:29 pm

    can u grill the wings instead of baking ?

    • jumbieg
      October 11, 2011 / 12:56 pm

      yes, you certainly can.

  51. myrna
    October 10, 2011 / 12:06 pm

    looks good

    • Tyrone
      November 7, 2011 / 2:38 pm

      It is awesome….love it

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