Beef Free Thyme Jerk Chicken
Bold, smoky, and fragrant with allspice, cinnamon, and fresh thyme, this jerk chicken delivers serious Caribbean flavor straight from your grill. The marinade comes together in a blender ā scallion greens, Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, ginger, tamari, maple syrup, and lime juice blending into a coarse, deeply aromatic paste that clings to every bone-in, skin-on piece. Letting the chicken soak for at least four hours (or overnight) means the heat and spice penetrate all the way through, so you get flavor in every single bite, not just on the surface. Grilling skin-side down first builds that signature char, and basting with reserved marinade as it cooks layers even more complexity onto the finished pieces. The whole dish is naturally free of any beef or beef-derived ingredients ā the depth here comes entirely from spices, citrus, and that punchy pepper heat. A squeeze of fresh lime and a scatter of sliced scallion greens at the end brighten everything up and make it feel restaurant-worthy with almost no extra effort.
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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
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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