Jerk chicken is uncommon among the non-Caribbean people because we think its too hot and spicy, or we associate it with barbecue. Yes, it is hot and spicy because of the hot sauce, but that’s optional. Caribbean jerk chicken is a delicious recipe, while rice and peas add to the taste of jerk chicken.

Try the jerk chicken recipe below, and you’ll fall in love with the savory, rich aroma of jerk chicken. So, let’s begin!

Ingredients

  • Chicken thighs – 12
  • Lime (cut into two) – 1
  • Hot sauce (optional)

Marinade

  • Spring onions (roughly chopped) – 1 bunch
  • Thumb size ginger (roughly chopped)
  • Garlic cloves – 3
  • Onion (small) – 1/2
  • Scotch bonnet chilies – 3 (remove the seeds if you prefer less spicy)
  • Lime (juiced) – 1
  • Dried thyme – ½ tbsp.
  • Soy sauce – 2 tbsp.
  • Brown sugar – 3 tbsp.
  • Vegetable oil – 2 tbsp.
  • Ground allspice – 1 tbsp.

For Peas and Rice

  • Rice (basmati) – 200 g
  • Coconut milk – 400 g
  • Spring onion (sliced) – 1 bunch
  • Thyme sprigs (large) – 2
  • Garlic cloves (chopped) – 2
  • Ground allspice – 1 tbsp
  • Canned kidney beans (drained) – 2 can of 410 g each.

Directions

Step #1

To prepare the jerk marinade, put onion, garlic, spring onion, ginger, lime juice, dried thyme, scotch bonnet chilies, vegetable oil, soy sauce, ground allspice, brown sugar, and salt as per taste in the food processor and blend. Adding all the ingredients might create problem while blending. So, it is recommended that you should turn off the blender, stir the mixture, and turn on again and keep repeating until it becomes a thick paste. Don’t add water.

Step #2

Taste the mixture because if it’s not salty, add more salt, but don’t make it unpleasantly salty. If the mixture is not spicy, you can add more chilies and if the mixture is sour or it has become too salty, add more brown sugar and mix.

Step #3

Now, take the chicken and make cuts in chicken thigs and pour marinade over the chicken and rub it well. Make sure that the marinade has adequately reached into all the gaps. Cover and place the chicken to marinate overnight or for at least 12 to 16 hours in the fridge.

Step #4

The next step is to cook the chicken. You can either barbecue your chicken or cook it in the oven. If you want to cook it in the oven preheat oven to 180o fan / 160o gas and place the chicken in the roasting tin with a lime cut in half and cook the chicken for at least 45 minutes.

If you want to barbecue, make sure to light the coals one hour before a barbecue. Authentic jerk chicken is smoke grilled, so it is essential to fire up coals one hour earlier. Cook chicken pieces over indirect heat for at least 30 minutes.

Step #5

While the chicken is being cooked, it is time to prepare rice and peas. Rinse the rice in cold water and put them in a large pot. Along with rice, add thyme springs, coconut milk, ground allspices, garlic, and spring onions.

Step #6

Add salt as per taste and add 300 ml water and cook the rice on high flame. Once the rice starts to boil, reduce the flame to medium and cook for another 10 minutes. Now, add kidney beans and cover the pot. Once the liquid is completely absorbed, take off the pot.

 Step #7

Take out the chicken squeeze lime juice over the roasted chicken and serve the jerk chicken with rice and peas. You can add hot sauce as well if you want to make it spicier.