You’ll know if you’ve had jerk chicken before; it’s just that good. Channeling its deep history as one of the archetypal Caribbean foods, jerk chicken has earned its great-tasting reputation. It’s a fairly simple dish—chicken doused in spices and hot peppers and slow-cooked—but it’s truly an art form and requires a lot of patience. However, the time that it takes to prepare yields a depth of flavor that’ll leave you dreaming of the sea breeze and sunny rays.
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
- 3 medium scallions, chopped
- 2 Scotch bonnet chiles, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon five-spice powder
- 1 tablespoon allspice berries, coarsely ground
- 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 (3 1/2 to 4-pound) chickens, quartered
Step 1
In a food processor, combine the onion, scallions, chiles, garlic, five-spice powder, allspice, pepper, thyme, nutmeg and salt; process to a coarse paste. With the machine on, add the soy sauce and oil in a steady stream. Pour the marinade into a large, shallow dish, add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring the chicken to room temperature before proceeding.
Step 2
Light a grill (can also be cooked in an oven if preferred). Grill the chicken over a medium-hot fire, turning occasionally, until well browned and cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes. (Cover the grill for a smokier flavor.) Transfer the chicken to a platter and serve.
Today, jerk chicken is served almost everywhere, from restaurants to backyard grilles and tasting it is one of the best things to do in the Caribbean. This dish is usually complemented with “festivals”, which is basically fried cornmeal, hot Scotch bonnet pepper sauce and a cold brew like Red Stripe. This is one dish you eat with your hands, but any mess is well worth it. Dig into the delicious dish that you created and transport your taste buds to the flavors of the Caribbean.
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