Healthy Recipes Ingredient Meat & Poultry Chicken Jerk Chicken 5.0 (3) 1 Review Sweet, savory and spicy all at once, this jerk chicken recipe is absolutely delicious. Try the jerk chicken marinade on pork loin, firm white fish or even goat if you can find it. The wood chips are optional if you're grilling, but they add an authentic, subtle flavor to the chicken. Serve with a slightly sweet side dish, such as sweet potatoes or cornbread, to balance the heat. Recipe adapted from chef Jacqui Sinclair. By Carolyn Malcoun Carolyn Malcoun As EatingWell's Associate Editorial Director, Carolyn Malcoun searches for cool farmers, chefs and other food stories to tell. She has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin and a culinary arts degree from New England Culinary Institute. She started at EatingWell as an intern in the Test Kitchen in 2005 and joined the editorial team soon after. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 22, 2024 Reviewed by Dietitian Sylvia Geiger, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Sylvia Geiger, M.S., RD As EatingWell’s former dietitian and nutrition advisor, Sylvia Geiger worked closely with the culinary and editorial team to ensure that our recipes are not only delicious, but also meet the nutrition parameters we have set for ourselves. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Save Rate PRINT Share Close Credit: Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman Active Time: 45 mins Total Time: 3 hrs Servings: 8 servings Nutrition Profile: Sesame-Free Nut-Free Dairy-Free Soy-Free High-Protein Egg-Free Gluten-Free Jump to Nutrition Facts Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1 bunch scallions, chopped 1 small white onion 1-2 Scotch bonnet hot chile peppers, stemmed and quartered (see Tip) 1/4 cup lime juice 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon light brown sugar 1 tablespoon whole allspice berries 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves 4 (6-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed, trimmed 2 (12-ounce) bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed, trimmed and cut in half crosswise 1 cup wood chips, such as apple or hickory, for smoking (optional) Directions To prepare jerk marinade: Place scallions, onion, chile to taste, lime juice, oil, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and thyme in a blender. Process until smooth. Place chicken thighs and breasts in a nonreactive baking dish (see Tip). Rub 2/3 cup of the marinade onto both sides of the chicken. Transfer the remaining marinade to a small bowl; cover and refrigerate. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours. Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman Twenty minutes before you're ready to grill, soak wood chips (if using) in a bowl of water. (No grill? See broiler variation.) Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman Fold a 12-by-20-inch piece of heavy-duty foil in half to create a 12-by-10-inch double-thick piece. Transfer the wet wood chips to the center of the foil, allowing as much water as possible to drip back into the bowl. Create a packet by folding the short ends of the foil over the wood chips and sealing the open sides. Make 6 holes in the top of the foil packet with a skewer or the tip of a knife. Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman Place the packet of wood chips, pierced-side up, under the grill rack on top of the burners. Close the lid. Heat the grill to medium-high until the chips in the packet smell smoky and smoke begins to billow from under the lid, about 15 minutes. (Don't worry if the packet temporarily catches on fire.) Grill the chicken, turning and basting with the reserved marinade occasionally (discard any unused marinade), until just cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes total, depending on the size. Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman Tips Broiler variation: Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler to high. Line a broiler pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Place the chicken on the pan and broil for 10 minutes. Turn, brush with some of the reserved marinade, and broil until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part without touching bone registers 165°F, about 10 minutes more.Kitchen tips: One of the hottest chile peppers, Scotch bonnets come in vivid shades of red, orange and green and are used throughout the Caribbean. Though they look similar to habaneros, Scotch bonnets have a citrus note that makes them undeniably different. You can control the heat of a dish a little by discarding the membranes that hold the seeds, which are the spiciest part of chile peppers, along with the seeds themselves. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling hot peppers, or wear rubber gloves. If you can't find Scotch bonnet peppers, habaneros can be substituted.A nonreactive dish or pan—stainless steel, enamel-coated or glass—is necessary when marinating foods in acidic ingredients, such as lime, lemon or vinegar. The acid in the marinade can react with “reactive” dishes or pans, such as aluminum and cast-iron, and impart an off color and/or off flavor in the prepared foods. Nutrition Information Serving Size: 1 thigh or 1/2 breastCalories 177, Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 2g, Cholesterol 68mg, Carbohydrates 5g, Total sugars 3g, Added sugars 2g, Protein 22g, Fiber 1g, Sodium 352mg, Potassium 229mg To make ahead Marinate the chicken (Step 1) for up to 24 hours. Frequently Asked Questions Which is healthier—chicken thighs or breasts? Both chicken thighs and breasts are healthy and provide nutrition to your body. Chicken breasts and chicken thighs are great protein sources. They’re also both excellent sources of the micronutrient choline and good sources of vitamin B12. All cuts of chicken have the amino acid tryptophan, which raises levels of the “feel good” hormone serotonin. Is this recipe gluten-free? Yes, this recipe is gluten-free and includes no gluten-containing ingredients. I don’t have whole allspice, can I use ground instead? Yes, you can! If you don't have whole allspice on hand, you can use 1 tablespoon of ground allspice instead. Can I use boneless chicken for this recipe? If you prefer, you can use boneless chicken thighs and chicken breasts for this recipe. Boneless chicken will cook faster than bone-in chicken, so be sure to check the internal temperatures with an instant-read thermometer. Grill the chicken, turning occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 165°F, about 10 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness. What should I serve with Jerk Chicken? Jerk chicken is delicious paired with rice and peas, fried plantains, cassava cakes, red pea soup and callaloo. On the grill, you can make grilled sweet potatoes, grilled corn or grilled pineapple as an easy side dish to balance the heat. What is jerk chicken seasoning made of? Jerk is a style of cooking in Jamaica that uses a seasoning or marinade with Scotch bonnet chile peppers and allspice, among other ingredients. Here, we use scallions, white onion, Scotch bonnet chile peppers, lime juice, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and thyme for the flavorful marinade. Additional reporting by Carrie Myers and Jan Valdez EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2010 Save Rate Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 263 Calories 14g Fat 6g Carbs 29g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 8 Serving Size 1 thigh or 1/2 breast Calories 263 % Daily Value * Total Carbohydrate 6g 2% Dietary Fiber 1g 4% Total Sugars 3g Protein 29g 58% Total Fat 14g 18% Saturated Fat 4g 20% Cholesterol 130mg 43% Vitamin A 28µg Vitamin C 19mg 21% Vitamin D 0µg Vitamin E 1mg 5% Folate 19µg Vitamin K 35µg Sodium 433mg 19% Calcium 41mg 3% Iron 2mg 9% Magnesium 37mg 9% Potassium 396mg 8% Zinc 2mg 17% Vitamin B12 0µg Omega 3 0g Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate. * Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.) (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.