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Jamaican Jerk Chicken Recipe

Jamaican Jerk Chicken Thighs

Posted by Dee
This Jamaican jerk chicken recipe is perfect for anyone who loves flavorful food. The chicken is cooked in a flavorful spice blend, and it's fairly simple to make.
5 from 55 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Chilling Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Jamaican
Servings 5 Servings
Difficulty Medium

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 5 Chicken Thighs, Bone-in, with skin

Dry Brine

  • 1 tbsp allspice
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar

Wet Jerk Paste

  • 2 habanero or scotch bonnet peppers, seeded and deveined
  • 3 stalks green onions, chopped
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme, stems included
  • 1 tbsp allspice
  • 1 inch ginger, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp browning sauce
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tbsp canola oil
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • pinch of cloves, about 3-4

Instructions
 

Dry Brine Instructions

  • Pat chicken thighs dry with a paper towel.
  • In small bowl, combine dry brine ingredients: salt, brown sugar, orange zest and allspice.
  • Sprinkle chicken generously with brine mixture, rubbing into and under the skin.
  • Place your chicken on a rack and place it in the refrigerator, uncovered for at least 2 hours but ideally overnight but no longer than that.
  • Remove rack from the fridge and allow the chicken to come to room temperature if time permits.
  • Preheat oven to 425°F

Jerk Paste Instructions

  • Put all of the wet jerk paste ingredients into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
  • Coat chicken thighs generously with paste. Reserve some of the paste to use as a basting sauce during cooking.
  • Turn on your stove's air vent. On medium-high heat, allow a large cast iron skillet or oven-safe pan to come up to temp. Place chicken skin side down.
  • Sear chicken for 4-6 minutes, flip and sear the other side for 3 - 5 minutes.
  • While the second side is searing, baste the chicken with some of the reserved jerk paste.
  • Transfer skillet to oven, leaving uncovered and bake chicken for 20 - 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (165°F).
  • Remove pan from oven and lest rest 10-12 minutes before serving.
  • Transfer to a platter, top with green onions and serve with jerk chicken dipping sauce. See notes.

Notes

Serve with our homemade spicy mango pineapple dipping sauce. It's delicious!
Keyword chicken
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