Southwestern Style Jerk Chicken Recipes

JAMAICAN JERK CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place the chicken pieces in a ziplock bag or a casserole dish with a lid. Pour the jerk sauce over the chicken and massage to fully coat them. Refrigerate overnight, 8-12 hours. Don't shorten the marinating time.
• Preheat the oven to 375 F.Lay the chicken pieces on a lined baking sheet with a good amount of sauce on them. Space the pieces about an inch apart. Pour the remaining sauce into a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. You can use this sauce both for basting while the chicken cooks and for serving at the table. Bake the chicken for 35-45 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reads 165-170 F. Turn the chicken over at the halfway point and then turn it over again at the end before broiling. At the end turn the oven on to broil for a few minutes to roast the chicken until nicely browned. Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest for a couple of minutes before serving.If using a grill: Preheat to about 400 F. Rub the grates with oil and grill the chicken until cooked through (internal temp should be 165-170 F), turning the chicken occasionally, about 30-40 minutes.

JERK CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine the sugar, soy sauce, thyme, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, scallions, garlic, habanero and a pinch of salt together in a food processor and blend for a couple of minutes, scraping up any pieces that cling to the walls to make sure everything is blended evenly.
• Drizzle veggie oil on the chicken and work the spice rub into the chicken, making sure to put the mixture under the skin as well. Cover and let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
• Oil and preheat a grill pan over medium heat. Grill the chicken skin-side down, flipping halfway through, 5 to 8 minutes per side. Serve with the Mango Chutney and cilantro.
• Mix together the raisins, sugar, ginger, garlic, mangos, jalapenos and salt to taste in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
• Combine the mango mixture with the vinegar and turmeric in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent the chutney from sticking to the pan, until thickened and thoroughly combined, about 20 minutes.

JERK CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the brine: Add the salt, sugar, allspice, chile, garlic, ginger and 1 quart water to a large pot and stir to combine. Place over medium-high heat, bring to a boil and cook until the salt and sugar have dissolved, about 5 minutes.
• Pour the brine over the ice in a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Add the chicken to the brine, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• For the jerk paste marinade: Stir together the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, tamarind paste, scallions, thyme, minced garlic, minced ginger, allspice, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and chiles in a medium bowl. Reserve 5 tablespoons for the Jerk BBQ Sauce and set aside.
• Remove the chicken from the brine; discard the brine. Pat the chicken dry, then toss to coat with the jerk paste marinade, slightly massaging it into the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• For the jerk BBQ sauce: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add the onions, garlic, ginger and the reserved 5 tablespoons of Jerk Paste Marinade and simmer until the onions are translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the ketchup and brown sugar and summer over low heat until the sauce is deep red and caramelized, about 30 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth and set aside.
• To cook the chicken: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron grill pan over medium heat until very hot, about 10 minutes, then add some oil to the pan. Working in batches, remove the chicken from marinade (reserve the marinade), place the chicken on the grill pan skin-side down and cook until well charred, flipping them halfway through, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with the reserved marinade. Continue with the remaining chicken. Transfer the baking sheet the oven and cook until the chicken is tender but not falling off the bone, about 45 minutes. Turn the broiler on for the last minutes and broil until the skin crisps.
• Remove the chicken from the oven, brush it with some of the Jerk BBQ Sauce and let it rest 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with the remaining Jerk BBQ Sauce on the side.