No.32 The 100 Most Popular Recipes Ever · October 2026

Jerk chicken

Name: Jerk chicken
Yield: 4 to 6
Ingredients: 3 to 4 lb (1.4 to 1.8 kg) bone-in chicken legs and thighs; For the marinade: 1 bunch scallions, roughly chopped; 1 small onion, quartered; 4 garlic cloves; 2 to 4 scotch bonnet chiles, stemmed (fewer for milder); 2-inch piece ginger; 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves; 1 tbsp ground allspice (or 2 tbsp whole berries, toasted and ground); 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg; 2 tbsp brown sugar; 1/4 cup (60 ml) soy sauce; Juice of 2 limes; 2 tbsp neutral oil; 1 1/2 tsp fine salt and 1 tsp black pepper

Made famous by Chris De La Rosa

Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

From CaribbeanPot.com. Caribbean Pot is No. 80 on the Hot 100.

Jamaica's great gift to the barbecue: chicken soaked in a fiery scotch bonnet and allspice marinade and cooked over smoky heat. Among the most searched grilled chicken recipes.

4 to 6Makes

1 hour plus overnight marinatingTime

Written in our own words and tested in a home kitchen. Get the original in Caribbean Potluck.

Scotch bonnets bring the heat, allspice and thyme the flavor. Marinate overnight, then grill slowly over indirect heat so the outside chars and the meat stays juicy.

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Ingredients

3 to 4 lb (1.4 to 1.8 kg) bone-in chicken legs and thighs
For the marinade: 1 bunch scallions, roughly chopped
1 small onion, quartered
4 garlic cloves
2 to 4 scotch bonnet chiles, stemmed (fewer for milder)
2-inch piece ginger
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp ground allspice (or 2 tbsp whole berries, toasted and ground)
1 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) soy sauce
Juice of 2 limes
2 tbsp neutral oil
1 1/2 tsp fine salt and 1 tsp black pepper

Steps

Blend all the marinade ingredients until fairly smooth.
Cut a few deep slashes in each piece of chicken. Rub the marinade all over and into the cuts, put in a bag or covered dish, and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours.
Set up a grill for two-zone cooking: coals or burners on one side only, and aim for about 350F. For more smoke, add soaked allspice wood or hickory chips.
Sear the chicken over direct heat 2 to 3 minutes a side, until charred in spots.
Move to the cool side, cover the grill and cook 35 to 45 minutes, turning once and brushing with leftover marinade in the first 20 minutes only, until the thickest part reads 175F (80C) and the skin is dark and crisp.
Rest 5 minutes and serve with rice and peas, festival or a cold beer.

Chef's tips

No grill? Roast at 400F on a rack over a sheet pan for 40 to 45 minutes, then broil 3 minutes to char.
Wear gloves when handling scotch bonnets.

This is Chef Amazing's write-up of the dish, tested for a home kitchen. The original is in Caribbean Potluck by Chris De La Rosa: get the book.

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