Artificial Food Coloring Free Thyme Jerk Chicken
Bold, smoky, and layered with real spice, this jerk chicken gets its fire from Scotch bonnet peppers, fresh thyme, and a fragrant blend of allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg ā no shortcuts, no mystery additives. That matters more than it might seem, because bottled jerk sauces and seasoning packets are notorious for sneaking in synthetic dyes and artificial colorings that have no business being on your plate. Every drop of color here comes from the char on the grill and the deep, earthy spices you blended yourself. Tamari stands in for conventional soy sauce, maple syrup adds a clean sweetness, and a hit of lime juice and apple cider vinegar keeps the marinade bright and balanced. The overnight marinating step is where the magic really happens ā the paste works its way into every crevice of the bone-in pieces, so the finished chicken is juicy all the way through. Served with fresh scallion tops and a squeeze of lime, it's the kind of meal that looks and tastes like it came from a serious backyard cookout, with zero artificial anything to worry about.
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Learn more āIngredients
4 servings
For the chicken
- 3 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Ā½ tsp black pepper
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For the jerk marinade
- 3 tbsp garlic-infused oil
- 6 scallions, green tops only, roughly chopped
- 1ā2 scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, stemmed and seeded
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Ā½ tsp ground nutmeg
- Ā½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tsp kosher salt
For serving
- lime wedges, for serving (optional)
- sliced scallion green tops, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels, then season all over with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Set aside while you make the marinade.
- 2
Combine the garlic-infused oil, scallion green tops, Scotch bonnet pepper(s), thyme, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, tamari, maple syrup, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, ginger, and 1 tsp kosher salt in a blender or food processor. Blend until a coarse, fragrant paste forms, about 30 seconds.
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