High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Thyme Jerk Chicken

Total time5 hr

Prep time20 min

Cook time40 min

High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Thyme Jerk Chicken

Jerk chicken is one of those dishes that hits every note — smoky, fiery, fragrant, and deeply savory all at once — and this version delivers the full experience without a drop of high fructose corn syrup anywhere in sight. That matters more than you might think, because plenty of bottled jerk sauces and marinades sneak in HFCS as a sweetener, making store-bought shortcuts a minefield for anyone keeping a clean ingredient list. Here, the heat comes from Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, the warmth from allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and the subtle sweetness from pure maple syrup — nothing processed, nothing hidden. Tamari and fresh lime juice round out the marinade into a bold, complex paste that clings to every bone-in, skin-on piece and gets better the longer it sits. Grilling over medium-high heat chars the skin into something almost lacquered, and basting with reserved marinade as it cooks builds layer after layer of flavor. Resting the chicken before serving keeps the meat juicy all the way through to the bone. A squeeze of fresh lime at the table is the only finishing touch this needs.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the chicken

3 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks)
1 tsp kosher salt
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½ tsp black pepper

For the jerk marinade

3 tbsp garlic-infused oil
6 scallions, green tops only, roughly chopped
1–2 scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, stemmed and seeded
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ 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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