Jerk marinade in a jar surrounded by ingredients

Sizzling Jamaican Jerk Marinade Recipe.

June 2, 2025February 18, 2025Leave a Comment

The original Jamaican Jerk Marinade was shared in 2011. After many requests, I then shared the Mild version for those of you who love the flavors of Jamaican Jerk with the heat. This is a more updated and refined version (arguably, there’s no need for it) of that original recipe I shared when I did the Smoked Jerk Turkey a few years back.

You’ll Need…

6 scallions (roughly chopped)
10-14 sprigs thyme (remove woody stems)
2 scotch bonnet peppers
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Pimento (allspice) powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 lime (juice)
1 lemon (juice)
4-5 thick slices of ginger
8 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
2 medium onions (roughly chopped)

Notes! If making this Jerk marinade gluten-free, please use a gluten-free soy sauce or Tamari, but please read the label. When handling Scotch Bonnet peppers, wear gloves and wash your hands with soap and water immediately afterward. Yes, Habanero peppers will work nicely if you cannot source Scotch Bonnet peppers. May I recommend that you follow along with the video below, as much more about the recipe is discussed there?

Preparing this Jamaican Jerk Marinade involves three steps: Wash and prep everything that needs attention.

Everything is placed in a blender or food processor (step 2).

I like using a food processor because I have more control over the consistency of the finished marinade. If you are using a blender and you want it with a bit of texture, I recommend that you pulse it rather than have it go continuously.

Once you’re happy with the consistency (step 3), marinate your chicken, pork, or fish with it or place it in a plastic container in the fridge for later use.

It will keep in the fridge for at least a month.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Cabbage With Jerk Chicken.

May 27, 2025October 29, 2023Leave a Comment

Leftover Jerk Chicken! “can you explain this leftover Jerk Chicken ting Chris? I’ve never had such” One of the comments I received when I first shared this recipe on Instagram. The simple answer to this question is, no one in my home appreciates Jerk Chicken Breast. Usually when I make jerk chicken I use an entire chicken (usually 2) which I butterfly and the leftover jerk chicken breasts are used in stir-fry, fried rice, topping for salads, noodle dishes, dips and in this case, Cabbage with jerk chicken.

You’ll Need…

1 Small Cabbage (chopped)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Jerk Chicken (leftovers chopped into pieces)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 small carrot (match sticks)
1/2 bell pepper (sliced)
1 medium onion (sliced)
2 cloves garlic (smashed)
1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust)
3/4 tablespoon brown sugar

Notes! If doing this recipe gluten free please go though the full list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary requirements. Especially take note of the jerk marinade you used in making your jerk chicken as many will have soy sauce and other ingredients which may contain gluten. My jerk chicken is always made spicy (until Zyair starts eating it), so to balance the heat, I added the brown sugar.

This is a very quick dish to put together so may I recommend that you prepare all of the ingredients in advance and please use the video below to follow along.

Heat the oil in a wide pan on a medium/low flame then add the pieces of jerk chicken and stir. This step will heat through the chicken and allow some of that jerk flavor to really stand out.

Once heated through (about 3-5 minutes) add the chopped cabbage (chopped to your liking and stir to coat with the jerk chicken flavor. It will wilt down as it cooks, so don’t worry too much about not having enough space in the pan.

Once the cabbage has wilted a bit, add the other ingredients and mix well.

You’re free to add any vegetables you like. Another reason for liking this type of dish.. you can clean out ends of vegetables you have in the fridge.

After about 5 minutes it’s time to personalize things. Once you’re happy with the doneness of the vegetables (I like a slight crunch), taste and adjust the salt.

Should you wanted to add a bit of soy sauce, more jerk marinade, a bit of Hoisin sauce or freshly chopped Scotch Bonnet for more heat, I’d do so as you were heating the jerk chicken at the start.

I used leftover jerk chicken breast (white meat), however any jerk chicken will work. All I suggest is to remove the meat off the bones first. While this is a CLASSIC side dish, my fav way to enjoy this cabbage with jerk chicken is as filler for sandwiches.

Meat & Poultry

Easy Air Fryer Jerk Chicken.

May 27, 2025February 24, 2023Leave a Comment

I’m not the biggest fan of Air Fryers as explained in the video down below. However I must say, not only are they super-easy to use, the results are not half bad. These jerk chicken drumsticks came out juicy, packed with jerk flavors and finished with the bbq sauce.. lets just say WOW!

You’ll Need…

2-3 lbs chicken drumsticks
1 tablespoon HOT Jamaican Jerk Marinade
3 tablespoon regular / mild Jamaican Jerk Marinade
2 scallions (chopped finely)
4 sprigs thyme (leaves only – no stems)
1 lime (juice)
1 tablespoon golden brown sugar
1/4 cup apple juice
1 tablespoon olive oil | 3 tablespoon BBQ Sauce

Important! The goal with this recipe was to make something tasting great with ease and convenience. Therefore I used store (bottled) bought Jamaican jerk marinades. Should you want to make your own Jamaican Jerk Marinade, I have a few recipes on here.

Please note that I’m still experiencing camera issues so some still-shots were not taken. However you can follow along with the video below.

Remove the extra fat from the chicken, but leave the skin on. Unless you’re cutting back on your fat intake and you prefer the skin off – do your thing.

In a bowl place all the ingredients mentioned, EXCEPT the BBQ Sauce. And give it a good mix.

Pour 2/3 of the jerk marinade we just assembled on the chicken and reserve the remaining 1/3. Then go ahead and massage the chicken pieces to coat evenly with the marinade. Allow it to marinate for at least 2 hours in the fridge (covered). If you use your bare hands to massage the chicken pieces, please wash immediately after with soap and water. The peppers in the jerk marinade can be a bit deadly – it may also irritate your skin.

After two hours lay in your air fryer (line the tray if you normally do, for easy clean-up), try to NOT crowd things. Then it’s 380 for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken pieces.

8 minutes in, you’ll need to flip them over for even cooking.

After 23 minutes I removed them from the air fryer. Then mixed in the BBQ sauce with the remaining jerk marinade (mix well) and I slapped a coat onto the chicken pieces (use 1/2). It cooked for 3 minutes at 400 F, then I flipped the chicken pieces, and on went the final coat of the bbq sauce mixture. Cook for 3-4 minutes.

Please be mindful that the last 5-7 minutes is crucial for getting that lovely color, charred bits and that lovely sticky bbq finish. Yea, not true Jamaican Jerk, but it works when it’s the middle of winter and it’s -15 C outside. Should you want a hint of smoky flavor, you can always add a couple drops of liquid smoke or smoked paprika in the marinade.

Such a simple and delicious way to make chicken. Toss on some finely chopped parsley, squeeze on a few drops of lime juice (should you have some) and ENJOY!

VERY IMPORTANT!

You will notice that I used a Cosori Air Fryer in making this recipe. A day later there was a recall notice in the news. 2 million air fryers recalled in U.S., Canada, Mexico for fire risk.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Meat & Poultry

Phenomenal Honey Oven Jerk Chicken.

May 27, 2025May 15, 20202 Comments

Following up on the Outstanding Honey Jerk Marinade I shared a couple weeks back, I thought it was only appropriate that I show you how to put it to use. While I did this version in the oven (it was the middle of winter when I documented the recipe), you can also rock this on your outdoor grill this BBQ season.

You’ll Need…

4-5 lbs chicken drumsticks
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups Honey Jerk Marinade (divided)
2-3 tablespoon Honey (I used raw organic)
1 lime (juice)

In a large bowl with the cleaned chicken, add the lime juice, salt and 3/4 cup of the Honey Jerk Marinade. Allow to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours – overnight will give best results. Feel free to put this in a strong zipper bag.

Pre-heat your oven to 375 F and line your baking tray with parchment or foil to make cleanup easier when you’re done. I also sprayed some baking spray on the wire rack I was using (so the chicken won’t stick), Yes, I recommend using a wire rack if you got one, as it will allow the oven’s hot air to circulate the chicken, cooking it evenly.

When you place the marinated chicken on the rack, try to have some space between each piece. Then into that 375 F oven onto the middle rack. 30 minutes later, flip them over and cook for another 20 minutes.

Mix the honey with the reserved honey jerk marinade, to intensify the honey flavor in the completed jerk chicken.

After 50 minutes remove the chicken from the oven, put the oven to 400 F and brush on some of the honey/jerk marinade. Back into the oven for 20 minutes, brushing on the sort of glaze every 5 minutes. So a total of 2 times on each side of the chicken pieces.

Then to give it that punch of color I went in for 3 minutes on the “Broil” setting (550 F) – be mindful to keep an eye at this point as the high heat and sugars in the glaze could BURN easily.

At no point did I cover these with foil, in case you’re wondering. Yes any cut of chicken will work, but you’ll have to adjust the cooking time according to the size of each piece. The drippings under the rack will also be DYNAMITE!

Sauces & Condiments Vegetarian

Outstanding Honey Jerk Marinade.

May 28, 2025May 9, 20203 Comments

While on a recent trip to the Caribbean I was challenged by a honey producer (and given a bag of goodies) to use her honey in a recipe when I got back home. While the honey will compete with the more flavorful ingredients in this jerk marinade (like the spices, herbs and Scotch Bonnet peppers), it does enough to let you know “hey I’m here too“!

You’ll Need…

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup Vinegar
1/2 cup Soy sauce – dark
2 limes (juice)
3/4 cup Orange juice – fresh
15 Jamaican Pimento berries – all spice
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
2 tablespoon raw cane sugar
1.5 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon clove powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg powder
10-15 sprigs thyme
2 scallions
thick piece of ginger
1 large onion
8-10 cloves garlic
3 Scotch bonnet peppers
2 tablespoon honey (add more for a more pronounced honey undertone)
2 bay leaves

NOTE! Please remember to use as many Scotch Bonnet Peppers as you can tolerate (removing the seeds and white membrane around the seeds will help reduce the heat level). Wear gloves when handling them and wash your hands with soap and water immediately after. I used a cinnamon stick as I didn’t have any cinnamon powder. With the Cinnamon stick and All Spice (pimento) Berries you’ll need a powerful blender or food processor to break those down. Alternatively you can use the powder form – for the all spice use 1 heaping teaspoon .

Give everything a rough chop (after washing) as to make it easier for the blender or food processor to break down smooth. Remember you can add more of one ingredient if it’s a flavor you like. For me.. I like adding Bay Leaves as I find it compliments the Pimento Seeds (all spice), but many people won’t have it in their jerk marinade.

Add all the ingredients to the food processor.

I like to ‘pulse’ until I get the desired consistency and texture I like. I find that if you don’t pulse, you end up adding too much air to the finished marinade and it’s a bit frothy. It takes about 2-3 minutes.

If you do decide to add more honey than what’s mentioned in the ingredient list above, may I recommend you add it now (after your marinade comes out of the food processor).

This marinade will stay good in a clean container in the fridge for about a week. Or use immediately! Or you can double up on the recipe and freeze some. Pour into an ice cube tray until frozen, then pop into a freezer bag. whenever you need some, just thaw a few cubes and you’re golden!

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Succulent Jerk Rotisserie Chicken.

May 27, 2025November 7, 2018Leave a Comment

This past summer during our annual July Month Of Grilling, I shared this awesome recipe for what I believe is best way to roast a chicken on the grill. The self-basting achieved by having the chicken on a rotisserie, means you’d never have a dry and cardboard-like chicken. And your taste-buds will be excited by the punch the jerk marinade brings to the table. Tender, juicy and that awesome spice kick, means your family and guests will be asking for this jerk chicken for years to come.

You’ll Need…

2 whole chicken (about 2.5-3 lbs e)
2 scallions
5 sprigs thyme
1 scotch bonnet pepper
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon cane sugar (or brown sugar)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon allspice (pimento powder)
3 slices ginger
1 tablespoon fish sauce
3 lime leaves
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon parsley

For the grill…
– 5 sprigs thyme
– 4-5 cloves garlic
– lime leaves
– water
– 10-15 pimento (allspice) berries

Note! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the Soy Sauce. You’ll notice that I used fish sauce and lime leaves.. that’s just my lil personal touch. Feel free to leave those out if you wish.

Clean, trim and prep the chicken. Then make the marinade with all the ingredients mentioned above (not the stuff for the grill). You may want to give everything a rough chop to make it easier for your blender or food processor to make the puree. You can make this as liquid or chunky as you want.

Remember to wear gloves when handling the scotch bonnet and if you use your hands to rub the marinade onto the chicken. Additionally you can add more hot peppers if you want, and if you want to control the heat level a bit remove the seeds from the scotch bonnet. Paste the marinade all over (and inside) the chicken and allow to marinate for a couple hours (overnight will be best for max flavor).

Watch the video below to follow along. Basically you need to set the chicken onto your rotisserie, then onto your grill. But try your best to have a low heat under the chicken and the main heat to the side (somewhat like indirect heat grilling). Place a pan under the chicken with the ingredients mentioned above. This will not only help flavor the chicken as they grill, it will help to prevent flare-ups from the fat dripping onto the flame source. Be sure to add more liquid as it dries up. You may want to secure the chicken with some kitchen string to make sure they are compact and evenly spaced above the heat source. A hanging leg or wing will cook much faster and may want to burn. As the birds roast they will self baste (dripping fat and it renders out), so don’t worry too much about that.

After about an hour or so you may need to add a bit of water back to the pan.

With the lid closed on the grill and depending on the size of your chicken it will take about 2 hours and 20 minutes or so to cook all the way through. I had the heat between 275-300 F in the event you’re wondering.

Allow to cool for about 15 minutes before you carve these birds.. I know it will be tempting to not do so, but trust me. Additionally, be prepared for your neighbors inviting themselves over when they get a whiff of this jerk chicken. As always it was a pleasure sharing this taste of the Caribbean with you.

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Meat & Poultry

Amazing Pineapple Jerk Chicken (cheat version).

May 27, 2025October 19, 20183 Comments

If you’re looking for the bold flavors of a good Caribbean Jerk Chicken, especially on a week-night when you’re just not in the mood for too much work in the kitchen – I got the perfect recipe for you. I call this my ‘cheat’ pineapple jerk chicken recipe and it’s requires little work and not too many ingredients. Now you will see me use prepackaged jerk seasoning, but if you’d like to make yours from scratch, check out my recipe for that @ Recipe Index!

You’ll Need…

3 heaping tablespoon jerk seasoning (your fav)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (diced)
4 cloves garlic (diced)
1 can pineapple (chunky)
3 scallions (chopped)
6-8 sprigs thyme
1 heaping tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 whole chicken (about 5 lbs total)

Note: I used two whole chicken which I cut into pieces. But you’re free to use any cut of chicken you like.

This is insanely simple. Add all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Try to bruise the thyme so it can release it’s flavor oils.

Pour the marinade over the prepared chicken (I left the skin on, but removed all the fat I could find as the skin will help to protect the chicken from going dry in the oven). Allow this to marinate for at least 2 hours. That said, I didn’t wait. I went directly into a preheated 410 F oven on the middle rack. You’ll notice that I didn’t add any salt to the marinade, that’s because the store-bought seasoning will already have salt, plus I went in with soy sauce. That said, feel free to add a bit of salt if you want.

Roasted uncovered on the middle rack in the oven for 1 hr and 15 mins and you’re left with an amazing pineapple jerk chicken to enjoy. Be sure to line your roasting pan with foil so clean-up is easy.

Couple things.. if you find that the chicken isn’t as golden as you’d like it, you can always turn on the broil setting for a couple minutes. Also, depending on the size of your chicken pieces, it may take a bit longer to cook (larger pieces).

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Jerk Chicken Stirfry.

May 27, 2025August 29, 2016Leave a Comment

After sharing a pic of this Jerk Chicken Stirfry on Instagram, I had someone comment “what is leftover jerk chicken?” I do agree, there are many Caribbean dishes which always seems to be gone by the end of the meal. Keeping in mind that I make additional dishes with leftover jerk chicken (chicken salad, fried rice and stirfry) I purposely make extra every-time I make jerk chicken (same can be said about Stew Chicken as well). This an absolute WINNER in my home and I’m sure it will make a delicious impression on you and your family.

You’ll Need…

1 tablespoon veg oil
1 cup diced Jerk Chicken
3-4 cups cabbage
1/2 medium bell pepper
1/2 med carrot
1 stalk celery
1 clove garlic
thin piece of ginger (diced)
1/2 medium onion
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
jerk marinade or pan drippings

optional – few drops of sesame oil

* Important. If doing this recipe gluten free, do go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs – especially the sauces (soy, jerk, Hoisin and sesame oil)

I usually use chicken pieces with bones when I make Jamaican jerk chicken as I love the additional flavor you get from the bones. In my case I had to remove the meat off the bones (I used a leg and breast) and gave it a rough chop. Set aside. IMPORTANT! If you have any pan drippings from your jerk chicken SAVE it and add to this dish.

Prepare the vegetables and set aside. Try to keep them the same size so they cook evenly.

Heat the oil in a wide pan on low and go in with the garlic for 20 seconds.

Turn up the heat to medium and go in with the peppers, onion, ginger and celery and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add the soy and Hoisin sauces and toss.

Now go in with the pieces of jerk chicken, mix well and then the cabbage. At this point you can add all of the other ingredients.

Remember to add any pan drippings you may have and for a MORE intense jerk flavor you can add a tablespoon of your fav jerk sauce/marinade. Please don’t cover the pot as we want the vegetables to maintain a slight crunch. That is unless you like soggy vegetables, then do your thing. The soy and salt we added should be enough to properly season this dish, but you can adjust to your own liking.

Now you have a reason to make extra jerk chicken!

Meat & Poultry

Island Style Drunk Grilled Chicken.

May 27, 2025July 5, 20166 Comments

Yes, it’s time again for the annual July Month Of Grilling and we’re kicking things off with one of the best chicken recipes I’ve ever shared. Growing up on the islands, grilling/BBQ was never really something we’d have at home. BBQ at home wasn’t common (I don’t ever recall seeing a propane grill), so the odd time we’d have anything close to bbq, it would be takeout or the times we’d have village bazaars, where it would also be on sale. However when we were treated to bbq takeout.. what a feast! And the sauces.. lick your lip friendly.

You’ll Need…

Chicken
2 scallions
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup chopped parsley
10 sprigs thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 lime
1 orange (I used 2 clementines)
1 beer
1/4 cup rum (dark is best)
1 heaping tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 heaping tablespoon brown sugar

Note: This marinade will be enough for 3-4 small chickens.

Give the scallion, parsley and scotch bonnet a rough chop. Remember to wear gloves when handling such hot peppers and wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. To avoid the raw heat, you can leave out the seeds.. but I quite like the punch from including them. Grate the ginger and juice the orange and lime. I didn’t have an orange in the fridge so I went with 2 clementines.

Place all the other ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Trim the excess fat and skin (as well as the wing tips) off the chicken. Wash with the juice of a lemon (lime or vinegar works well) and cool water.. drain and pat dry with paper towels. No the lemon juice I used to wash the chicken was not mentioned in the ingredient list.

You have 2 options here. I used a deep dish to marinate the chicken (cover with plastic wrap), you can do the same or use a strong zipper bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken/s and massage. Allow to marinate in the fridge overnight or at least a couple hours if you’re in a rush.

Feel free to make deep cuts in the thickest parts of the chicken to allow the marinade to really get in there and do wonderful things. Now it’s just a matter of grilling to your liking. I used a coals fire, but propane will work as well. The keys to perfect chicken are..

low and slow
indirect heat (place the chicken away from the direct heat source)
baste with the marinade as it cooks slowly

Depending on how consistent your heat was and the size of your chicken it will take about 2 hrs to cook all the way though. Remember to flip every 25 minutes and I cannot stress how important it is to baste with the marinade. So DON’T toss it out.

Be sure to watch the video below for some more tips. I didn’t add any salt to my marinade as I find the soy sauce does the trick, but you may need a bit of salt.. depending on your tolerance for salt. I assure you this is an amazing recipe to kick off our annual month of grilling. Do leave me your thoughts in the comment section below.

Meat & Poultry

The Ultimate Jerk Chicken Dip.

May 27, 2025February 2, 2016Leave a Comment

Though we don’t have a traditional ‘dip’ culture when it comes to food, that’s quickly changing as we start experimenting with local ingredients, flavors and influenced by cuisines from distant shores. With the Super Bowl just days away, this Jerk Chicken Dip is one of the most requested recipes since I announced I’ll be doing a Super Bowl Series (see Coconut Chicken Tenders and Chicken Chili – other recipes in the series).

You’ll Need…

4 chicken thighs (skin and bone)
1 cup jerk marinade
1/2 cup beer (optional)

1/4 red bell pepper
1/4 orange bell pepper
2 scallions
1 block plain cream cheese
3/4 cup diced pineapple
3/4 cup jerk bbq sauce
2 heaping tablespoon sour cream
3/4 cup grated cheddar

* Remember to reserve some of the ingredients for topping the dip before placing in the oven. I did not add any salt to this dish as I find that both the jerk marinade and BBQ sauce will have enough. but you can certainly adjust to your own taste. The cheeses will also have a sodium element. If you want this extra spicy you can add a bit of your fav peppersauce (hot sauce) or finely diced Caribbean Sunshine – Scotch Bonnet pepper.

I used chicken thighs with both the skin and bones on, but you can use a couple large chicken breasts. I like keeping the skin on as it protects the chicken from over-drying in the oven. In a bowl, place the chicken thighs, beer and jerk marinade (use store bought – your fav) and allow to marinate for a couple hours (in the fridge). Then place on a baking tray line with parchment or tin foil in a preheated 400F oven for 25-30 mins depending on the thickness of your chicken thighs.

As the oven jerk chicken cools so we can safely remove (and discard the bones, skin and any visible fat) so we can shred it, we can go ahead and chop the peppers, scallions and pineapple. I used canned pineapple which I drained.

In a large bowl place the room temperature (soft) cream cheese and sour cream and whisk. Then go in with the other ingredients (except the cheddar) and fold. Be sure to leave back about 1 to 2 table spoon of the jerk BBQ sauce, peppers, scallion and shredded chicken to place on top. I had homemade jerk BBQ sauce but it’s cool to use the stuff from the store to save time. Preheat your oven to 300F.

Place into an oven-proof dish and top with the reserved ingredients and grated cheddar (or your fav cheese) . In my case I used a pie dish as I was too lazy to go downstairs to get my ‘dip’ dish.

Your oven should be at temperature now, place on the middle rack for about 25 mins and get ready to enjoy one of the BEST dips you’ll ever make/serve/enjoy!

I know you’re probably wondering if you can make this in advance. Yes, prepare it all and leave in the fridge for a couple days and bake-off when you’re ready.. you may need to give it an extra 5 mins in the oven if making it from the fridge. This is best served warm, but still maintains it’s taste and textures if cool.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Simple Oven Jerk Chicken For Students And Busy People.

May 27, 2025April 22, 20156 Comments

With the busy lifestyle we tend to live and the fact that more and more students are now reaching out for recipes, I figured I’d share this sort of hack or cheat’s way of doing amazing jerk chicken in the oven. Yes, traditionalists will say that you need, smoke, fire and the goodness from pimento wood to really make it “jerk” but when you don’t have access to such, you improvise. In under 1 hr I’ll have you eating the most juicy, flavorful and tender oven jerk chicken you’ve ever had. No Lie! Even your Jamaican friends will be asking you for the recipe when you serve this up at that dinner party you’ve been meaning to have.

You’ll Need…

1 1/2 cups jerk marinade (your fav store bought)
1 cup orange juice
3 scallions
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 teaspoon grated ginger (optional)
1 heaping tablespoon brown sugar
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 medium onions

4 lbs chicken

IMPORTANT! If you’re doing this jerk chicken according to a gluten free diet, do pay attention to the store-bought jerk marinade as it may contain soy sauce and other ingredients which may not fit with your gluten free dietary needs. There are gluten free jerk marinades you can now purchase or you can make your own marinade.

You can certainly make your own jerk marinade, but it does take time and require a few more ingredients than what’s listed above. Remember this jerk chicken is supposed to be fast, but not hurt for flavors. So go with your favorite store-bought marinade, but lets elevate it a bit with some additional freshness and flavor.

Chop the scallions, thyme, onion and scotch bonnet pepper. Use as much pepper as you can handle and remember to help control the heat a bit, don’t use any of the seeds. Do wash your hands with soap and water after handling such hot peppers. Grate the ginger and get ready to assemble the marinade. Pour the everything a bowl and whisk well.

Trim off any fat and excess skin off the chicken pieces (I used legs with the thighs attached), but do keep most of the skin as it will roast and give it a good color and some wonderful flavor. Since this is a fast-cook, we don’t have time to really marinate the chicken so lets go ahead and make a couple deep cuts down to the bone of the chicken (thick part).

Now pour the marinade all over the chicken and mix well.

Line an oven proof baking dish (I didn’t and it’s a lot of clean-up work after) with tin foil and pour everything into it. Set your oven at 400F and place on the middle rack when it comes to temp. After 30 mins, remove and flip the pieces of chicken, then back int he oven for another 10 minutes. So 40 minutes in total.

After 40 minutes it’s time to crank the heat up to give the chicken some color and really make it attractive. So set the oven at broil (525F), but do keep an eye on things as it will be easy to have it burn at this point. It will take about 4-7 minutes to take on a delicious colour. Remember to flip so you get even coloring. I must mention that most commercial jerk marinades are high in sodium so you’ll notice that I didn’t add any salt, but you can certainty add a bit of salt if you wish. If you wish you can also go with half orange juice and half pineapple juice in the marinade for a more fruity finish.

In under one hour you’ll have what I guarantee is an amazing Jamaican Jerk Chicken dish! And that gravy will be delightful on some rice and peas.

Meat & Poultry

Jerk Chicken Noodle Stir Fry.

May 27, 2025January 16, 20157 Comments

Here’s another dish I enjoy making when we have leftover jerk chicken (something not too common in this house). From the flavors of the residual jerk marinade on the chicken to texture of the slightly cooked vegetables, this is an ideal one-pot dish. As I’ve mentioned in the past, after slavery was abolished on the islands, many indentured laborers from China and India were brought in to facilitate the shortage of labor. So you’ll find that our culinary culture reflect this infusion of Asian flavors and technique in cooking. This dish is the perfect example of how the Caribbean and Asia comes together for something absolutely mouthwatering.

If you can, try to get a “Guyanese” chow-mein type noodle – can be found at most West Indian markets.. it works best for this dish in my opinion.

You’ll Need…

1 package Noodles (about 340 G | 12 oz)
1 stalk celery
1/2 carrot
2 scallions
2 cups jerk chicken (cubed)
2 birds eye pepper (optional)
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 cups cabbage
1 teaspoon Oyster sauce
1 teaspoon Hoisin Sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon veg oil

* Cook the noodles according to package directions “but”.. if it says to cook for 5 minutes, try to under-cook it by a minute or so, so you don’t end up with soggy noodle when it’s stir fried.

Prepare your vegetables (cut, dice etc). I had leftover jerk chicken breast, so all I did was cube it into bit sized pieces. If you don’t have leftover jerk chicken, take 2 large chicken breasts, marinate in your fav Jamaican jerk marinade and broil in the oven for about 15-20 mins (depends on the thickness). Be sure to keep as much of the jerk marinade on the chicken as you cube it as it will add that wicked jerk flavor to this noodle stirfry.

Cook the noodles,drain and set aside. Be sure to have all your ingredients prepped as this is all about cooking fast!

In a deep pan heat the oil on a medium flame then go in with the diced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add the celery, cabbage and carrot and cook for another 1-2 minutes. At this time you can add the two birds eye pepper (whole) so we get some flavor and not the raw heat.

It’s now time to add all the sauces and stir well, then go in with the cubed chicken.

Stir well so we get that ‘jerk’ flavor throughout the dish. If you wish you can add a tablespoon of jerk marinade to the pot for that extra kick of Caribbean goodness. Finally it’s time to add the pre-cooked noodles to the pot, stir well and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Then top with the chopped scallion and you’re done!

It will be normal for the noodle to clump a bit when it’s cooled, but as you add it to the pot and stir.. it will loosen up. Remember to remove the whole peppers (or leave it for those who like heat) before serving. If you want an additional kick (remember the jerk marinade will have scotch bonnet) you can always break the birds eye pepper.

You can personalize this dish by adding your fav vegetables and that’s also a great way to stretch this dish for more people. Bell pepper, bean sprouts, broccoli, zucchini and Christophene (Jamaican choc cho | chayote) will all work well in this dish. NOTE: You will notice that I didn’t add any salt as I’m trying to cut back on the amount of sodium in my diet and the soy sauce will be enough to season this for me. But do taste near the end and adjust to your liking.

jamaican jerk chicken

Sizzling Jamaican Jerk Marinade Recipe.

Recipe Card

Sizzling Jamaican Jerk Marinade

Description

Ingredients

Instructions

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