Name: Jerk Chicken
Ingredients: 1 tsp coriander, toasted and ground; 1 tsp cumin, toasted and ground; 1 bay leaf; 1/2 tsp ginger, ground; 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground; 1 tsp black pepper, ground; 1/4 tsp nutmeg, microplaned; 1 tbs ground allspice; 2 tbs hot sauce (texas pete); 1 tbs honey; 1 tsp balsamic vinegar; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1/2 cup water; 1/2 cup dry stout; 1/2 cup olive oil; 1/2 cup soy sauce; 1 habanero seeded and minced; 1 jalapeno seeded and minced; 1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves only, minced; 1 tbs fresh thyme, leaves only; 1/4 cup scallions, sliced thin; 1/4 cup red onion, minced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 2 chicken breasts, boneless skinless; 4 chicken thighs, boneless skinless

Grilled Jerk Chicken perfect combo of sweet, spicy, and charred business. The backbone is the allspice, along with everything else Jamaican. The heat is from the habanero.

There are two ways to make jerk sauce, a paste or a marinade. This is a marinade, and can be used for anything you want to spice up. There is a little bit of everything in here, resulting in a lot of complexity. Trust me, it’s worth it.

Ramp up the habanero and jalapeno as needed. With one, it’s not very hot. With five, you need to be brave. The choice is yours. I suggest starting slow, tasting, and adding more as you go. Keep in mind the results will be a bit less spicy the direct tasting.

Marinades ~3 lb of chicken.

Mise en Place

Spices

1 tspcoriander, toasted and ground
1 tspcumin, toasted and ground
1bay leaf
1/2 tspginger, ground
1/2 tspcinnamon, ground
1 tspblack pepper, ground
1/4 tspnutmeg, microplaned
1 tbsground allspice

Staples

2 tbshot sauce (texas pete)
1 tbshoney
1 tspbalsamic vinegar
1 tspsmoked paprika
1/2 cupwater
1/2 cupdry stout
1/2 cupolive oil
1/2 cupsoy sauce

Produce

1 habaneroseeded and minced
1 jalapenoseeded and minced
1 sprigfresh rosemary, leaves only, minced
1 tbsfresh thyme, leaves only
1/4 cupscallions, sliced thin
1/4 cupred onion, minced
4 clovesgarlic, minced

Meats

2chicken breasts, boneless skinless
4chicken thighs, boneless skinless

Directions

combine everything except bay leaf and chicken into bowl

briefly blend together with stick blender to make marinade

add bay leaf

reserve 1/2 cup marinade and set aside

butcher chicken, cut off tenders from breasts and keep, remove excess fat and discard

add chicken breasts, tenders, and thighs to marinade, stir to coat chicken

cover with plastic wrap and stash in fridge 6-48 hours

grill chicken, moving and turning often to maximize browning

different pieces will finish at different times, use a thermometer. When a piece is ready, evac and brush reserved marinade on top

serve immediately