Name: Slow-Cooker Jerk Chicken
Total time: 5 h
Cuisine: CaribbeanLatin America & Caribbean
Ingredients: 8 scallions , chopped; 1/4 cup vegetable oil; 2 habanero chiles , stemmed and seeded; 1 (1-inch) piece ginger , peeled and sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds; 2 tablespoons molasses; 3 garlic cloves , peeled; 1 tablespoon dried thyme; 2 teaspoons ground allspice; 1 teaspoon salt; 4 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (thighs and/or drumsticks), trimmed; Lime wedge

Why This Recipe Works

We wanted to use a slow cooker to create a jerk chicken recipe—with fiery chiles, warm spices, and fragrant herbs—that tasted just as good as its more commonly grilled counterpart. First, we used a food processor to make a smooth paste of the aromatics—scallions, garlic, habanero chiles (Scotch bonnets are more traditional), and ginger—along with sticky molasses, dried thyme, allspice, salt, and oil to bind everything together. We coated the chicken with some of this paste before cooking and saved the rest for basting later on. Following a slow braise in the slow cooker, after which the chicken was tender but still intact, we finished it under the broiler, basting it with more of the paste until it was lightly charred and crisp.

Before You Begin

If you can't find habanero chiles, substitute two to four jalapeño chiles. For a spicier dish, include the chile seeds.

Instructions

Process scallions, oil, habaneros, ginger, molasses, garlic, thyme, allspice, and salt in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Lightly coat slow cooker with vegetable oil spray. Transfer ½ cup mixture to prepared slow cooker; reserve remaining mixture separately. Add chicken to slow cooker and turn to coat evenly with scallion mixture. Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 4 to 5 hours on low.

Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Set wire rack in aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and coat with vegetable oil spray. Transfer chicken to prepared rack; discard cooking liquid. Broil chicken until browned, about 10 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through broiling.

Brush chicken with half of reserved scallion mixture and continue to broil until lightly charred, about 5 minutes, flipping and brushing chicken with remaining scallion mixture halfway through broiling. Serve with lime wedges.