I’d never really thought about making jerk chicken before. Honestly I came up with the idea because I purchased Uncle T’s “Such A Jerk” seasoning**. When I was on their website, I noticed this seasoning had Scotch Bonnet peppers in it - and this is why I had to have it!!
Scotch Bonnet peppers are the sister pepper of Habanero’s. I’m not quite sure what the exact difference is but I believe Scotch Bonnet might be a little spicier. I went to St. Lucia last fall and our Airbnb kitchen had the local hot sauce in there. It was served with our first meal and I tried a drop and holy crap was it spicy!! But OMG - soo delicious! Our whole family fell in love with this sauce and we even brought some bottles back with us. This particular sauce which I initially thought was habanero, was actually made from Scotch Bonnet peppers. These peppers only grow in the Caribbean. If anyone knows where to find them in the states, let a girl know!
Anyway...back to the jerk chicken! I wasn’t too sure what to throw in here but after doing some research and seeing what would pair well with the ingredients in the seasoning, I came up with this concoction!
But for now, here’s the jerk chicken recipe. You can serve it with sautéed veggies, rice, or even over a salad! I hope you guys love it!
Jerk Chicken
Ingredients:
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 pieces)
2 tsp Uncle T’s "Such A Jerk" seasoning or jerk seasoning of your choice
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
Zest of 1 lime
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, grated/crushed
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3/4 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
2-3 scallion stalks, sliced (optional)
1 tbsp vegetable oil or oil of choice
Directions:
1. In a small mixing bowl, add jerk seasoning, lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, garlic, paprika, black pepper, salt, scallions (if using) and whisk together until combined. Divide in half - this will be your marinade and cooking sauce. (Same technique as my Chicken & Rice).
2. Cut 3-4 slits in your chicken breasts on the top side and place in a bowl. Add half of the marinade sauce and mix well to coat chicken properly. Cover the bowl, place in the fridge and let it marinate for at least one hour but not more than four. The lime juice can tenderize the chicken too much and make it soggy. Remove chicken from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking.
3. Remove chicken from marinade bowl and pat dry with paper towels. Heat cast iron skillet on medium-high heat. Once hot, add vegetable oil and heat until smoky. Using tongs, place chicken into the skillet carefully, the oil will spatter! Let it cook for 4 minutes, undisturbed on each side - this will get a nice char on there. Flip the chicken again and spoon reserved marinade on each piece, continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes. Flip chicken and repeat on the other side. The chicken should be cooked through at this point depending on how thick/thin your pieces are. (Mine were actually four pieces of thinly sliced breasts so it cooked rather quickly.) If you’re unsure then you can use a thermometer, it should read 165°F or you can just cut a slit and check but this will make the juices run out.
That’s it! Chicken is done, serve with a lime wedge. I will be posting the Jerk Chicken Tacos soon but at least this recipe gets the marinade down! The cooking technique will be a little different for the tacos as we will have to chop up the meat.
Thanks again for stopping by! Don’t forget to tag @thecurriedcook when you make my dishes!
**NOT an ad for Uncle T - just a small business & fellow Desi supporter! I did purchase all of my seasonings - they threw in one complimentary since I purchased the Executive Chef package. Seriously check out his spices though, they’re authentic and delicious!