Jerk Chicken
Jamaica's fiery, smoky signature — chicken marinated in scotch bonnet, allspice and thyme, then grilled low and slow… · Jamaica
Jamaica's fiery, smoky signature — chicken marinated in scotch bonnet, allspice and thyme, then grilled low and slow over pimento wood.
📹 See Jerk Chicken
AI-generated illustrative footage · Whatwherevacay.com
About Jerk Chicken
Jerk chicken is chicken marinated in a bold blend of scotch bonnet chillies, allspice (known locally as pimento), thyme, scallion, garlic and warm spices, then cooked slowly over a smoky fire until charred and tender.
Traditionally it is grilled over pimento wood, which perfumes the meat with its distinctive smoke. The flavour is at once hot, herbal and deeply savoury. It is classically served with rice and peas, festival or fried plantain, and a wedge of lime.
🏛️ History & Culture
The jerk technique is credited to the Maroons — communities of Africans who escaped enslavement and settled in Jamaica's rugged interior, blending African seasoning traditions with methods and ingredients of the island's Indigenous Taino people.
Smoking spiced meat allowed it to be cooked and preserved discreetly in the mountains. Today jerk is a cornerstone of Jamaican identity, sold from roadside drum grills across the island and celebrated wherever the Jamaican diaspora has settled.
Recipes from travellers
No one has shared their own Jerk Chicken recipe yet. Yours would be the first.
Share how you make Jerk Chicken
You'll need to be signed in with Google or Facebook so your name can appear on it. Recipes go through an automatic food-safety check before they publish.
Sign in to share your recipe
Jerk Chicken — frequently asked questions
What is Jerk Chicken?
Jerk chicken is chicken marinated in a bold blend of scotch bonnet chillies, allspice (known locally as pimento), thyme, scallion, garlic and warm spices, then cooked slowly over a smoky fire until charred and tender.Traditionally it is grilled over pimento wood, which perfumes the meat with its distinctive smoke.
What is Jerk Chicken made of?
Jerk Chicken is made with chicken, scotch bonnet, allspice, thyme and scallion.
Where does Jerk Chicken come from?
Jerk Chicken comes from Jamaica, and is especially associated with Nationwide. The jerk technique is credited to the Maroons — communities of Africans who escaped enslavement and settled in Jamaica's rugged interior, blending African seasoning traditions with methods and ingredients of the island's Indigenous Taino people.Smoking spiced meat allowed it to be cooked and preserved discreetly in…
Where can I eat Jerk Chicken?
A roadside jerk drum-grill in Jamaica, with festival bread.
Taste Jerk Chicken in Jamaica
Independent picks. We earn a small commission if you book through these — at no extra cost to you. How this works.
✅ Before you go to Jamaica
Round out your trip — most travellers book these alongside their trip.
More dishes like Jerk Chicken
Festival
Slightly sweet fried cornmeal dumplings.
Peppered Shrimps
Rooted in Jamaica, Peppered Shrimps is a prawn dish enjoyed for generations.
Curry Goat
Goat slow-curried with Scotch bonnet and allspice.
Ackee and Saltfish
Jamaica national dish of buttery ackee with salt cod.
Kansas City-Style Barbecue
From the United States, Kansas City-Style Barbecue is a well-known barbecue.
Kotlovina
Kotlovina is a Croatian cauldron feast, pork and chicken simmered over an open fire with paprika, wine and potatoes, shared outdoors with family and friends.
Tafelspitz
Boiled beef in broth with apple-horseradish sauce.
Luwombo
Luwombo is a beloved meat dish, traditional to Uganda.
Stornoway Black Pudding
Stornoway Black Pudding is a traditional sausage from the United Kingdom.
Yaniqueque
Yaniqueque is a traditional flatbread from the Dominican Republic.
Pulpeta
Rooted in Cuba, Pulpeta is a minced-meat dish enjoyed for generations.
Rappie Pie
Rappie Pie is one of the classic dishes in the casserole tradition of Canada.
Chilorio
Chilorio is a traditional pork dish from Mexico.
Pecan Pie
Gooey caramel custard pie crowned with pecans.
Kumru
Kumru is a grilled sesame-crusted sandwich from Izmir, Turkey, filled with melted kaşar cheese, tomato and green peppers. A charcoal-grilled Aegean street food classic.
Aji de Gallina
Creamy, gently spicy shredded-chicken stew over rice.
- 🇯🇲 Festival · Jamaica
- 🇯🇲 Peppered Shrimps · Jamaica
- 🇯🇲 Curry Goat · Jamaica
- 🇯🇲 Ackee and Saltfish · Jamaica
- 🇺🇸 Kansas City-Style Barbecue · United States
- 🇭🇷 Kotlovina · Croatia
- 🇦🇹 Tafelspitz · Austria
- 🇺🇬 Luwombo · Uganda
- 🇬🇧 Stornoway Black Pudding · United Kingdom
- 🇩🇴 Yaniqueque · Dominican Republic
- 🇨🇺 Pulpeta · Cuba
- 🇨🇦 Rappie Pie · Canada
- 🇲🇽 Chilorio · Mexico
- 🇺🇸 Pecan Pie · United States
- 🇹🇷 Kumru · Turkey
- 🇵🇪 Aji de Gallina · Peru
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience with Jerk Chicken.
Write a review
Sign in to verify you're a real person, then share your thoughts on Jerk Chicken.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to say something about Jerk Chicken.