Why you’ll love this Jamaican jerk chicken recipe
This Jamaican jerk chicken drumsticks recipe was first introduced to me by my college roommate, Tamar, who is originally from Jamaica. Her version of Jamaican jerk sauce is by far the best I’ve ever had. So, naturally, I had to share it with you!
- Flavor – The marinade is savory, spicy, herbaceous, and slightly sweet, offering an explosion of different tastes with every bite.
- Versatile – You can easily adjust the ingredient amounts in the marinade to suit your flavor preferences. And make extra to use for dipping with your chicken and veggies.
- Texture – Soaking the chicken drumsticks in the jerk sauce keeps them tender and juicy after they’re cooked. You’ll never have dry, tough chicken again!
Better than take-out, this is the best Jamaican jerk chicken you’ll ever have. Pair it with sides like cilantro lime rice and grilled mixed vegetables, and you won’t have any leftovers.
Key Ingredient Notes
- Tomato forms the base of the sauce. I prefer to use Roma tomatoes, plum tomatoes, or vine tomatoes. Or, ketchup will also work.
- Onion – Use one large white or yellow onion for a sharp, pungent taste.
- Green onion is essential and changes the flavor of the sauce.
- Garlic – If you’re a garlic lover like me, feel free to add more. You can also omit it, if desired.
- Thyme – Make sure to use fresh thyme. It truly makes a big difference in the flavor.
- Scotch bonnet pepper – Adjust to taste and take the seeds out. Scotch bonnet peppers are very spicy! Be careful when handling these peppers, and don’t touch your eyes or other sensitive areas after handling the peppers. I highly recommend using disposable gloves to remove seeds.
- Dried pimento seeds are signature ingredient for Jamaican jerk sauce! Sometimes it’s called allspice berries, but look for ones that says Jamaican pimento. These are typically found in the spice section of grocery stores.
- Brown sugar adds a touch of sweetness to balance out the heat of the peppers.
- White vinegar – The acid helps tenderize the chicken.
- Chicken drumsticks – Bone-in chicken drumsticks have the most flavor, but boneless will also work. Or, feel free to use any part of the chicken you like best!
How to make Jamaican jerk chicken
1. Make the Jamaican jerk sauce
- Combine all the sauce ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth.
2. Marinate the chicken
- Place the chicken drumsticks in a large non-reactive bowl (Glass or stainless steel bowls work best!) or a ziplock bag.
- Add the jerk sauce, and toss to coat the chicken.
- Marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours or ideally overnight.
2. Grill the chicken
Jerk is referred to a method of cooking, on a wood open flame and smoke, like barbercue but slower.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat.
- Lightly oil the grates with a paper towel soaked in vegetable oil.
- If using a charcoal grill, pile one side with more charcoal than the other to create two levels of heat.
- Remove the drumsticks from the marinade, letting any excess sauce drip off.
- Cook on indirect or medium heat until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, flipping halfway through. This typically takes about 25-30 minutes!
- Transfer the chicken to the direct heat or the hotter side of the grill, or increase the heat to medium-high on a gas grill. Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side or until the skin is nicely charred.
- Place the cooked Jamaican jerk chicken drumsticks on a plate, and let them rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. This is key to creating juicy chicken!
Time-Saving Tips
This is a great recipe to prep in advance for a quick dinner on a busy weeknight.
- Prep the marinade a day or two in advance, and store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Or, marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance.
Storing Tips
Store leftover Jamaican jerk chicken drumsticks in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat, gently warm the leftover chicken in a skillet over low heat, until warmed through.
FAQs:
Sure! If grilling isn’t an option, you can place the marinated drumsticks on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, and bake at 400°F or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Broil for a minute or two at the end of cooking to achieve a crispy skin, and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Jerk cooking is a method of slow cooking meat over an open wood flame and smoke. It doesn’t actually refer to the seasoning used. The meat is often dry rubbed or marinated, which creates a sweet, spicy flavor with a crispy exterior and juicy center.
There’s not much this recipe doesn’t pair well with! Some of my favorite options include cilantro lime rice, Instant Pot baked potatoes, oven roasted mixed vegetables, and grilled lemon & herb potatoes and mushrooms.
More Chicken Recipes:
Jamaican Jerk Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
Jamaican Jerk Sauce:
- 1 large tomato or ½ cup ketchup
- 1 large onion quartered
- 4 green onions
- 2 cloves garlic
- 5-6 stalks of fresh thyme fresh makes a huge difference in the flavor
- 1 or 2 Scotch bonnet pepper Note 1
- 10 dried pimento seeds aka allspice berries
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
For chicken:
- 8 chicken drumsticks
Instructions
- To make the jerk sauce, combine all the sauce ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
- Place the chicken drumsticks in a large non-reactive bowl (glass or stainless steel) or ziplock bag and add the jerk sauce. Marinade for at least 3 hours, or preferably overnight.
- To grill, preheat the grill over medium heat. Lightly oil the grates with paper towel soaked with vegetable oil. If using charcoal grill, pile one side with more charcoal than the other to create 2 level heat.
- Remove drumsticks from the marinade, letting the excess sauce to drip off.
- Cook the drumsticks on indirect/medium heat (the side with less charcoal) for about 25-30 minutes, turning them over half way through, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Then transfer onto direct heat (hotter side), or increase the heat to medium high on gas grill, and cook for 3-5 minutes per side, or until the skin is nicely charred. Remove onto a clean plate, rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Share your thoughts! If you make this please leave a review letting me know how it was!
Notes
– Store leftover Jamaican jerk chicken drumsticks in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
– Freeze chicken drumsticks for up to 2 months.
– To reheat, gently warm the leftover chicken in a skillet over low heat, until warmed through.
Nutrition
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full nutrition disclosure.
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Reader's Reviews
Carolyn says
I love these flavors combined! Can’t wait to try it!
Shinee says
Thanks, Carolyn!
Megan @ MegUnprocessed says
I bet that sauce is good on so many things! I need to try it on some roasted veggies!
Shinee says
Yes, the sauce would work for veggies too. Thanks, Meg!