Miss Ollie's Jerk Chicken

A flavorful Jamaican jerk chicken recipe featuring a spicy marinade made with Scotch bonnet peppers, aromatics, and warm spices. The chicken is marinated overnight and grilled to perfection for an authentic Caribbean taste.

6 servings
3 hr 15 min

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch chives
  • 6 whole Scotch bonnet chiles
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • ¾ cup malt vinegar
  • ¾ cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Jamaican rum
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • teaspoons ground allspice
  • teaspoons ground nutmeg
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 8 pieces chicken legs
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    Blend chives, chiles, garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, rum, salt, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves in a blender until smooth. Place chicken in a large bowl and pour jerk marinade over. Turn thighs and drumsticks several times to coat. Cover and chill, turning chicken pieces once, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

    120 min

  2. 2.

    Remove chicken from marinade, wiping off any excess, and let come to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Discard marinade.

    30 min

  3. 3.

    Prepare grill for 2-zone heat (for a charcoal grill, bank two-thirds of coals on one half of grill and scatter remaining coals over other side; for a gas grill, set one burner to high heat and the remaining burners to medium-low heat). Lightly brush grate with oil. Arrange chicken drumsticks and thighs, skin side down, on grate over hottest part of grill and grill, turning halfway through, until lightly charred, 5-10 minutes. Move chicken to cooler part of grill and continue to grill, turning several times, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, 20-25 minutes longer.

    35 min

  4. 4.

    Transfer chicken to a platter and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

    10 min