Jamaican Jerk Chicken Thighs with Mango Salsa

I’ve wanted to try to make Jamaican Jerk Chicken at home ever since we visited Jamaica in 2015 when I was pregnant with my oldest daughter. If you’ve ever been pregnant, you probably recall how every once in a while a certain food will just perfectly hit the spot in the midst of a season of not feeling well and not enjoying foods as you normally would. Jerk chicken did that for me that sunny day in Jamaica when we had a picnic between zip-lining and river rafting. Such a great day and an unforgettable lunch.

At the time, I didn’t pursue recreating the recipe at home because it always seemed overwhelming to do it the authentic way, and a shortcut version didn’t really interest me because I wanted to learn and enjoy the real thing if at all possible. Fast forward to present day. We’ve spent the past year at home with no real plans to travel anytime soon, and suddenly sourcing ingredients online is quite a bit easier than before since many really small producers and vendors are now offering shipping options. Getting the authentic ingredients for Jamaican Jerk Chicken is easier than ever! I finally got inspired to get working on it after reading this article from Smithsonian Magazine about the history of Jamaican jerk.

This recipe is one of those meals that the combination of the components is so much greater than the sum of its parts. On their own, the jerk chicken thighs, mango salsa, and rice are very good, but together they’re a completely different experience. Perfectly balanced spicy and sweet, crispy and juicy, bright and smoky. Don’t skip the mango salsa. Just don’t. It’s amazing with these Jamaican Jerk Chicken Thighs.

Let’s discuss ingredients…

Most of the ingredients for the jerk chicken marinade are readily available almost anywhere, such as onion, green onion, garlic, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, thyme, lime juice, etc.

There are a few standout ingredients which provide the main flavors for jerk chicken and they’re absolutely essential to this recipe. First, scotch-bonnet peppers. I’ve seen these peppers in my local markets in the summer season, but they’re nowhere to be found nearby in the off-season, so I ordered them on Etsy and both times they arrived perfectly fresh in no time. I highly recommend doing the same thing if you want your jerk chicken to be authentic. I’m also currently growing some from seeds in my basement so I’m all ready for planting season in the garden. Note- since these are fresh peppers, order them after you have received the remaining ingredients so that they don't spoil while you wait for the other items to be delivered.

Another iconic jerk chicken flavor is from the pimento berries. Pimento berries are Jamaican allspice, and they are also easily purchased online (affiliate link). You only need about a tablespoon of the whole pimento berries for one batch of marinade, so feel free to purchase a small quantity of the berries. I opted for a 2.5 ounce bottle and have used less than half of it during my recipe testing process. It smells SO GOOD.

The final authentic ingredient that I purchased online was the pimento wood chips. The woodchips from the pimento tree are used for smoking the Jamaican Jerk Chicken to achieve that slightly smoky, nutty, spiced flavor that is absolutely amazing in terms of flavor but also the aroma. It transports me back to that beautiful country on that perfect day with that unforgettable meal.

How do you make authentic Jamaican Jerk Chicken at home?

First, you’ll marinate the skin-on chicken thighs for 24 hours. Just brush the marinade all over the chicken in a nice, thick, even layer. Be careful not to double dip into the marinade so that you don’t contaminate it from the chicken. You will need a bit more of the marinade before cooking, and you can save the rest for up to 6 months in the refrigerator.

For the cooking process, you’re going to be smoking the chicken. I’ve taken a few liberties in terms of method to help make things easier to recreate at home. So first, we’re going to skip digging a pit for smoking and we’re going to choose between my two go-to methods that don't require a smoker: charcoal grill or oven. Both yield very similar flavors and textures, although you'll notice that the grill method yields a blacker appearance which is how I remember enjoying authentic jerk chicken in Jamaica.

To smoke jerk chicken in the oven:

Yes, you can do this indoors with your regular oven, but you do need access to outdoors for charring the woodchips. I use this method in the winter or bad weather. The house smells SO GOOD. Don’t be afraid to try it. This method yields a bit milder of a smoke flavor than the charcoal grill.

Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil. Arrange the pimento woodchips into a pile in the center of the pan. Take the pan outdoors and light the woodchips on fire. I love using my kitchen torch for this, but matches or a lighter work fine too.

Let the woodchips burn themselves out. They’ll become black and smoky. Quickly cover the pan with a baking sheet to contain the smoke. Transfer the roasting pan to the bottom rack of the preheated oven, and add the pan of chicken thighs to the center rack of the oven. Remove the cover from the woodchips, then close the oven door. Ta Da! You’re smoking the chicken in your oven. (Because I’m sure you’re wondering, I’ve tested this method 4 times and never had my smoke alarms go off.)

To smoke jerk chicken on a charcoal grill:

Smoking on a charcoal grill is very simple, but requires a more hands-on eyes-on approach to monitor temperature. Compared to the oven method, the grill method yields a bit more of a prominent smoky flavor and a charred skin that is wonderful, but overall the results are both great and quite similar.

-Soak the wood chunks in the aluminum tray filled with water for 30 minutes prior to smoking. 

-Start the charcoal using a charcoal chimney starter. (This is the most efficient method of starting charcoal in our experience and does not necessitate using starter fluid.) Let the charcoals burn until glowing red before transferring to the grill, about 15-20 minutes.

-Arrange the charcoal along one side in the bottom of the grill. Set the tray of water with the wood on the other side.

-Remove wood chunks from water and arrange woodchips on top of the charcoal.

-Place the cooking grate into position and cover the grill for a few minutes while the cooking grate heats up. Adjust the air vents so they’re less than half-way open. Low INDIRECT heat is the goal.

-Place chicken thighs onto pre-heated grill skin side up (keep chicken on the side of the grill away from the charcoal). Replace cover and let cook for 1 hour before removing lid. Check internal temperature of the chicken thighs and add more woodchips or charcoal as desired. Cook another 30 minutes, adjusting vents as needed to control browning, checking temperature periodically until minimum temperature of 165°F is reached in the thickest part of the thigh. If the skin hasn’t formed a blackened crust on it yet, continue cooking a few more minutes and open vents as needed to increase the temperature. Chicken thighs are quite forgiving, so don’t worry if your temperature rises beyond 165°. The blackened crust is important for flavor and texture.

Note-To check the internal temperature: Insert an instant-read thermometer into thickest part of the chicken without touching bone. Once the target internal temperature has been nearly reached, feel free to add more charcoal and open the vents to increase browning as desired. We do not usually need to do this step, but that is another nice feature of using a charcoal chimney- you can heat up more charcoals while the grill is in use.

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