The secret to this ultra-tender Caribbean Jerk Chicken is the perfectly balanced marinade coupled with the slow grilling technique described below.
This recipe is an affordable, spicy sweet delight that takes little work. It is highly scalable and a staple of ours especially for prepped meals. Additionally, it can be prepared year-round since the grilling is done with the lid closed.
I prefer the McCormick Jerk Seasoning, but the Weber "Jamaican Jerk Authentic Caribbean Seasoning" also works well. Just be aware the Weber seasoning is a bit more spicy.
Ingredients
2-3 lbs bone-in chicken thighs with skin (see Variations at the bottom for different chicken meat options)
3 Tbsp McCormick Jerk Seasoning
3 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil (not a heavier oil like olive)
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp cider or white vinegar
Directions
Skin and trim your chicken. The marinade and slow cooking will keep the meat very tender and juicy, so no need for leaving the skin and fat on.
Mix marinade and add chicken.
Marinade covered (or sealed if in a ziplock) for 30 min or more. No need for overnight, but nothing wrong at all if it marinates a few hours or while your at work.
Heat your grill on low for a good 10 minutes to evenly heat it, then add the chicken. Since the marinade contains oil, there is no need to oil the grill grate first.
Grill the chicken thighs on low with the lid closed for 30 minutes, turning the thighs every 5 minutes.
Take the chicken off the grill and let rest for 5 min while you set the table, then dig in.
Variations
The recipe above is written for bone-in chicken thighs with skin. As such, I skin the thighs and do the repeated 5 minute flipping on the grill. This also works well and identically with dark chicken quarters (i.e. the thigh/leg combos). There's nothing quite like eating some chilled (though slightly spicy ;) chicken thighs or legs with your hands, chewing it off the bone.
However, there is nothing more convenient than using boneless, skinless chicken thighs. The cost is higher, but there's no wasted weight and much less time preparing. This is my go-to when meal-prepping. If you try this, the cooking time is also much shorter given the thinner profile vs. the bone-in shape. Consequently, I raise the heat to medium-high and cook the thighs about 5 minutes per side for a total of 10 minutes. The ratio of chicken weight to marinade amount stays the same.
There is also the boneless, skinless chicken breast option if you prefer white meat. Chicken to marinade ratio stays the same, and the cooking approach is similar to the boneless, skinless chicken thighs. That is, medium-high heat and a total of about 10 minutes cooking time depending on how thick the meat is. Basically, turn them over halfway through, and remove once the texture is nearing firm. Be careful not to overcook, as the leaner white meat will dry out faster than the darker.
One last tip: I mentioned at the top that the Weber seasoning is a bit more spicy than the McCormick. The longer the marinading, the hotter the spice seasons the chicken. If you like it hot, Hot, HOT! Then great. Otherwise, ease into it with experimenting with marinading times so you figure out the sweet-heat-spot for you and your guests.
Tags: #caribbean #chicken #grilling #spicy
Comments