Best Marthas Jerk Chicken Recipes

JERK CHICKEN WINGS

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse scallions, garlic, bay leaves, habanero, vinegar, thyme, allspice, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 tablespoons pepper until coarsely ground. In a large shallow dish, toss chicken with jerk mixture and refrigerate at least 1 hour (or up to 1 day).
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange chicken on foil-lined rimmed baking sheets and cook until browned, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Serve with lime wedges.

BACKYARD JERK CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a food processor, puree chile, scallions, garlic, thyme, brown sugar, allspice, soy sauce, lime juice, and oil. In a large zip-top bag, toss chicken with paste. Refrigerate at least 1 hour (or up to 1 day).
• Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-low. Clean and lightly oil hot grill. Season chicken with salt and pepper; grill, covered, turning often to prevent charring, until cooked through, 45 to 50 minutes.

JERK CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine all of the ingredients except the water and chicken in a large bowl. Mix well and add the water to form a loose paste.
• Reserve 1/2 cup of the sauce for a later use. Marinate the chicken in the remaining sauce for at least 1 hour or as long as 24 hours (the longer, the better). Turn the meat several times, mixing the sauce.
• Prepare an outdoor barbecue using plenty of coals. Meanwhile, soak small sticks or hardwood chips in water (mesquite conflicts with jerk's own flavor). When the coals have become gray and well ashed over, add the soaked wood to the fire.
• Place the chicken on the grill and cover, leaving the vent holes open. Barbecue slowly --1 1/2 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the pieces. Check the fire after 30 minutes, adding coal or wood as needed and being careful not to flame the fire. Baste every 30 minutes with the marinade. Turn the chicken several times as it cooks. The chicken is done when it is firm to the touch and slightly charred.
• Remove the chicken from the fire and let it sit on a cutting board for 15 minutes. If you have a sharp cleaver, chop the meat into small pieces (bone and all); otherwise, leave each piece whole. Serve on a large platter doused with the reserved jerk sauce.

JAMAICAN JERK CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken in a medium bowl. Cover with lime juice and water. Set aside.
• In a blender or food processor, place allspice, nutmeg, salt, brown sugar, thyme, ginger, black pepper and vegetable oil. Blend well, then mix in onions, green onions, garlic and habanero peppers until almost smooth.
• Pour most of the blended marinade mixture into bowl with chicken, reserving a small amount to use as a basting sauce while cooking. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat.
• Brush grill grate with oil. Cook chicken slowly on the preheated grill. Turn frequently, basting often with remaining marinade mixture. Cook to desired doneness.

JERK CHICKEN

Steps:

• Make jerk marinade: Process chiles, onion, scallions, garlic, and thyme in a food processor until mixture forms a coarse paste. Add brown sugar, allspice, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, vinegar, soy sauce, lime juice, and oil; season with pepper. Process until smooth. Marinade can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 day before proceeding.
• Transfer 1/3 of the marinade (about 1 cup) to a small bowl; set aside to use for brushing chicken. Transfer remaining marinade to a large bowl. Add chicken; toss to coat, rubbing marinade under the skin and all over chicken. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature before grilling.
• Heat a grill to low (if using a charcoal grill, coals are ready when you can hold your hand 5 inches above grate for 7 seconds). Brush grate lightly with oil. Place chicken on grill, skin sides down. Discard used marinade. Grill chicken, brushing occasionally with reserved cup of fresh marinade, until the skin sides are well browned but not charred, about 25 minutes. Turn chicken, and continue to cook, basting it occasionally, until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Cut chicken breast halves into 2 or 3 pieces, if desired. Serve with lime wedges.

MARTHA'S JERK CHICKEN

Steps:

• Make jerk marinade: Process chiles, onion, scallions, garlic, and thyme in a food processor until mixture forms a coarse paste.
• Add brown sugar, allspice, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, vinegar, soy sauce, lime juice, and oil; season with pepper.
• Process until smooth. Marinade can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 day before proceeding.
• Transfer 1/3 of the marinade (about 1 cup) to a small bowl; set aside to use for brushing chicken.
• Transfer remaining marinade to a large bowl.
• Add chicken; toss to coat, rubbing marinade under the skin and all over chicken. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature before grilling.
• Heat a grill to low (if using a charcoal grill, coals are ready when you can hold your hand 5 inches above grate for 7 seconds).
• Brush grate lightly with oil.
• Place chicken on grill, skin sides down. Discard used marinade.
• Grill chicken, brushing occasionally with reserved cup of fresh marinade, until the skin sides are well browned but not charred, about 25 minutes. Turn chicken, and continue to cook, basting it occasionally, until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Cut chicken breast halves into 2 or 3 pieces, if desired.
• Serve with lime wedges.

JAMAICAN JERK CHICKEN

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine scallions, garlic, Scotch bonnet peppers, thyme, allspice, pepper, and salt; with processor running, add 1 cup water through feed tube to make a sauce. Set aside 1/2 cup for serving.
• Using the tip of a paring knife, make 8 small incisions all over chicken. Place in a shallow baking dish. Pour sauce over chicken, turning to coat. Cover, and refrigerate, turning occasionally, for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Preheat a grill pan over high heat. Place chicken on grill. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, basting chicken with the marinade, for 10 minutes. Rotate chicken, and cook until slightly charred, about 15 minutes more. Turn chicken over, repeating process until slightly charred and an instant-read thermometer reads 160 degrees, about 25 minutes more. Alternatively, preheat oven to 425 degrees, and bake for 50 minutes, turning once halfway through. Transfer chicken to a cutting board. Let rest for 10 minutes. Using a sharp cleaver, chop into small pieces, bone and all, if desired. Otherwise, leave pieces whole. Serve with reserved sauce.

JERK CHICKEN WITH PINEAPPLE-CILANTRO RICE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine 1 1/2 teaspoonssalt, 1 teaspoon pepper, thyme, cumin, redpepper, garlic powder, paprika, cloves,nutmeg, allspice, and light-brown sugar.Set spice mixture aside.
• Place 2 chicken breasts between layers ofplastic wrap. Pound chicken to a 1/2-inchthickness. Transfer to a glass baking dish,and repeat with remaining breasts. With allthe spice mixture, rub breasts on both sides.Cover with plastic wrap; chill 30 minutes.
• Bring a medium saucepan of water to aboil. Stir in the rice, and reduce to a simmer.Cook until rice is tender but still firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain; rinse with cool water. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in the pineapple,cilantro, bell pepper, and olive oil. Seasonwith remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoonblack pepper. Cover, and chill.
• Heat a grill or heavy grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken untilit is browned on both sides and cookedthrough, 4 to 5 minutes on each side.Serve with the cooled pineapple rice andlime wedges.

MARINATED JERK CHICKEN

Steps:

• Make marinade: In a blender, combine scallions, garlic, jalapeno, lime juice, oil, sugar, allspice, thyme, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons water; blend until smooth. Set aside 1/4 cup for brushing.
• Place chicken in a shallow dish; season all over with salt. Pour remaining marinade over chicken; toss to coat. Cover; refrigerate, turning once or twice, at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
• Heat grill to medium-high; oil grates. Lift chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off (discard marinade); place on grill, and cover. Cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is blackened in spots, about 10 minutes.
• Move chicken to a cooler part of the grill; brush with reserved marinade. Grill, covered, until chicken is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes more. Serve immediately.

TRADITIONAL JERK CHICKEN

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor or the jar of a blender, combine vinegar, 1/2 cup water, lime juice, vegetable oil, onion, scallion, garlic, Scotch bonnet pepper, and ginger. Puree ingredients until smooth and well combined. Add allspice, thyme, cinnamon, sugar, black pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper. Puree until smooth and free of lumps.
• Place chicken pieces in a medium-size bowl. Pour marinade over chicken, and turn chicken pieces to coat. Cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or overnight if possible.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the chicken pieces on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place in the heated oven and cook until the juices run clear when pierced with a two-pronged fork, 45 to 50 minutes.