Jerk Chicken

This recipe was supposed to be a play on Pirates of the Caribbean and parrots.


I was honestly a little disappointed in how this turned out.  Go figure that the one time I used a recipe I've actually made before (vs. nearly everything is a new recipe when I make it) it fell flat to me.  The flavor wasn't nearly as good as what I remembered despite marinating for a full day.  Maybe it's because I had to bake the chicken instead of grill (which is what I did last time but the grill was otherwise occupied by the salmon).  Oh well, at least we had a TON of food so it doesn't matter when a dish doesn't "perform" :).


Jerk Chicken

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 scallion, coarsely chopped
• 1 large jalapeno pepper, stem and seeds removed
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• Pinch ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 4 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
• 4 drumsticks, skin on

Directions

1. Puree all the ingredients, except the chicken, in a food processor until almost smooth. Piece the chicken with a fork to make tiny holes. Place the chicken in a large shallow baking dish and rub the marinade into the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours, depending on how intense you want the flavor to be.
2. To grill - preheat grill. Grill chicken on each side for 5 to 6 minutes or until cooked through.  Or, to bake - preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken on baking sheet lined with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160 degrees.

* To make ahead/freezer meal - Prepare the chicken as directed above and place in a gallon sized freezer bag to marinate. Seal and freeze chicken. When ready to prepare the chicken, defrost completely and following the cooking directions for either the grill or oven.

Source: As seen on and adapted by What's Cooking Chicago from Bobby Flay