We’ve been trying to perfect Jamaican Jerk Chicken and have come to realize that the secret is in preparation and planning. We bought a bunch of chicken breasts and chicken thighs, and decided to try making the Jamaican Jerk Chicken two ways. The first way was straight following the recipe on the package of McCormick Carribean Jerk Seasoning which called for marinating the chicken for 2 hours. The second way was to mix up another batch of the jerk marinade, and allow the chicken time to soak up the flavors by marinating overnight.

What we discovered from these two trials is that the longer marinating resulted in a much more flavorful meal. We were a little afraid that the longer seasoning time would result in an overpowering taste of the Jamaican Jerk Seasoning, but that didn’t happen at all. The 2 hour seasoned chicken still had a nice jerk flavor and is acceptable in a pinch. If you have the time, we recommend marinating the chicken overnight, or for 24 hours.

Recipe for Jamaican Jerk Chicken

• 1/2 cup McCormick Carribean Jerk Seasoning
• 1 cup olive or canola oil
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 5 chicken thighs
• 2 chicken breasts

1. In a 2 cup pyrex cup, combine the jerk seasoning mix, with 1 cup canola or olive oil, and 1/3 cup lemon juice. Mix well.
2. Wash the chicken, and place in a large heavy duty reclosable plastic bag.
3. Pour the jerk marinade into the bag, seal tightly, and turn to evenly distribute the seasoning.
4. Place the chicken in the refrigerator, and turn every so often to allow the marinade to cover other pieces of chicken.
5. Marinate 2 – 24 hours. The longer the more flavor with infuse to the chicken.
6. To grill, cook the chicken close to but not over hot coals until cooked through.
7. To bake, place the chicken in a single layer in a 2″ deep baking pan, and bake at 325° F for 1 hour 20 minutes.

Note, we find that chicken thighs are best with the recipe. Since not all folks like dark meat, we added some chicken breasts. But the thighs are exceptional juicy and flavorful.