Easy Jerk Chicken
By America's Test KitchenPublished on July 27, 2011
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
For a less spicy dish, remove the seeds and ribs before processing the chiles. If you cannot find habaneros, substitute 4 to 6 jalapeño chiles. This recipe can easily be doubled, but, depending on the size of your cooking grate, you may have to grill the chicken in two batches.
Instructions
- Puree scallions, garlic, allspice, thyme, salt, molasses, chiles, and oil in food processor or blender until almost smooth, scraping down sides if necessary. Wearing latex gloves and working with one piece of chicken at a time, slide fingers between skin and meat to loosen skin, then rub 1 tablespoon spice mixture under skin of each piece and transfer chicken to gallon-sized zipper-lock bag. Pour remaining spice mixture over chicken, seal bag, and turn bag so that chicken pieces are covered with mixture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 36 hours.
- Light charcoal grill. When coals are covered with thin layer of gray ash, stack them 2 to 3 briquettes high on one side of grill and in single layer on other side. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill, and let heat 5 minutes. (If using gas grill, preheat grill, covered, with all burners on high; once grill is hot, leave one burner on high and turn other burners to low. In step 3, cook chicken covered.)
- Remove chicken from bag and arrange skin side down over hot part of grill. Cook chicken until well browned on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to cooler part of grill and continue to cook, turning occasionally, until very dark and fully cooked, 15 to 22 minutes. Serve with lime wedges.
Yield
Serves 4Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Our Easy Jerk Chicken recipe features the keynote flavors of jerk seasoning—ground allspice, thyme, and habanero (or Scotch bonnet) chiles. We used a food processor to quickly blend the ingredients into a smooth paste. We rubbed the paste thoroughly over and under the skin of the chicken parts and let chicken sit for at least 2 hours to allow the seasoning to penetrate the meat. Cooking the chicken over a two-level fire gave us a well-browned exterior and a juicy interior.
Before You Begin
For a less spicy dish, remove the seeds and ribs before processing the chiles. If you cannot find habaneros, substitute 4 to 6 jalapeño chiles. This recipe can easily be doubled, but, depending on the size of your cooking grate, you may have to grill the chicken in two batches.
Instructions
- Puree scallions, garlic, allspice, thyme, salt, molasses, chiles, and oil in food processor or blender until almost smooth, scraping down sides if necessary. Wearing latex gloves and working with one piece of chicken at a time, slide fingers between skin and meat to loosen skin, then rub 1 tablespoon spice mixture under skin of each piece and transfer chicken to gallon-sized zipper-lock bag. Pour remaining spice mixture over chicken, seal bag, and turn bag so that chicken pieces are covered with mixture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 36 hours.
- Light charcoal grill. When coals are covered with thin layer of gray ash, stack them 2 to 3 briquettes high on one side of grill and in single layer on other side. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill, and let heat 5 minutes. (If using gas grill, preheat grill, covered, with all burners on high; once grill is hot, leave one burner on high and turn other burners to low. In step 3, cook chicken covered.)
- Remove chicken from bag and arrange skin side down over hot part of grill. Cook chicken until well browned on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to cooler part of grill and continue to cook, turning occasionally, until very dark and fully cooked, 15 to 22 minutes. Serve with lime wedges.
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