Jerk Chicken
Jerk chicken is probably my favorite way to eat chicken ever. It's spicy, sweet and savory all at once which is essentially just a flavor party in your mouth. And who doesn’t want a party in their mouth?!
My favorite jerk chicken I’ve ever had, surprisingly was from Red Robin. Back when I worked there as a server in 2010, they had a jerk chicken burger special that rocked my world. Jerk chicken, pepper jack cheese, grilled pineapple and a jalapeno-cornmeal bun. Sadly, this burger was discontinued. But I did manage to snag a container of the jerk seasoning to go on everything and everything I could cook at home. Score!
Eventually when this ran out, though (and what a sad day that was) I had to look at creating a jerk marinade/seasoning on my own. And to my surprise, it was much more approachable than I thought! Using tons of simple aromatics, pantry spices and, of course, habaneros for heat, this marinade is not just a heat explosion but a true flavor explosion.
If you're in the market for anything-but-bland chicken, this jerk chicken is seriously the only way to go. The marinade itself comes together in a matter of minutes from a few zips in the food processor and could be paired with not only chicken, but beef, pork, fish or tofu even. Plus, when the marinade touches the grill it just adds another layer of smoky flavor that's all too perfect. Everything about this dish just works, and I know you're going to become obsessed!
Jerk Chicken
Ingredients
About 2 pounds chicken drumsticks or boneless chicken breasts
1 yellow onion, quarterered
1 bunch green onion, stems removed and roughly chopped in half
2-4 habanero peppers
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
6 cloves garlic
Juice of two limes
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Lime wedges and cilantro for serving
Directions
In a food processor, combine all ingredients (except chicken of course). Pulse until it's a puree like consistency. Pour marinade over chicken pieces in a large ziploc bag or large shallow dish and cover. Refrigerate for at least and hour and up to overnight. What I ended up doing was dividing the recipe in half. I let one sit overnight and the other went in the freezer for a rainy day!
For drumsticks, heat a large grill over low heat. For chicken breasts, heat over medium high heat. Oil your grates using a paper towel. For chicken drumsticks, cook chicken covered for 30-40 minutes, turning once. For chicke breasts, cook 12-18 minutes depending on thickness, turning once. Remove from grill and let chicken rest 10 minutes. Garnish with squeezed lime and cilantro. Enjoy!
