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Tourist Jerk Chicken

This tourist-style jerk chicken brings the bold, smoky flavours of Jamaica without blowing your head off. It’s packed with classic spices like allspice, thyme, and scotch bonnet — just toned down enough for those who prefer to keep their taste buds intact. Perfect for backyard BBQs and island daydreaming.

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp dark rum Appleton Estates is great
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1/2 cup malt vinegar
  • 10 green onion, coursely chopped
  • 2 tbsp dried thyme
  • 2 scotch bonnet chiles, seeds and stem removed
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 tsps ground allspice
  • 4 tsps ground ginger
  • 4 tsps ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsps ground nutmeg
  • 2 tsps kosher salt
  • 2 tsps black pepper
  • 2 tsps brown sugar
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 2 tbsps soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
  • 4 chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
  • 4 chicken legs, bone in, skin on

Instructions

  1. Boil rum and water in small saucepan for two minutes. When boiling rum mixture, make sure you stick close by. Once my pot caught on fire. A small panic followed.

  2. Pour rum mixture into blender and add malt vinegar and next 12 ingredients ending at the black pepper. Blend until smooth.

  3. Mix two tablespoons of the mixture from the blender with the ketchup and soy sauce in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

  4. Place chicken in a large roasting pan and pour 1/2 cup of lime juice over chicken.

  5. Rub remaining jerk seasoning from blender all over chicken.

  6. Cover and refrigerate for minimum 4 hours, turning occasionally. This can be made 1 day ahead if you desire.

  7. Turn barbecue to medium.

  8. Remove chicken from marinade.

  9. Place chicken on grill, skin side down and cover, turning occasionally until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear, or meat thermometer registers 165F — about 50 minutes.

  10. Transfer to a plate and serve