Bold, smoky, and layered with Caribbean heat, this jerk chicken delivers the kind of flavor that makes you want to eat outside with your hands. The marinade is built from fresh thyme, scallion greens, Scotch bonnet peppers, allspice, cinnamon, and a touch of maple syrup — a combination that's fiery, fragrant, and deeply satisfying. Tamari steps in for a savory, umami-rich depth, and the whole paste comes together in a blender in under a minute. For anyone navigating tree nut allergies, this recipe is naturally in the clear — every single ingredient is straightforward and free of the sneaky nut-based oils or almond-derived sauces that sometimes creep into marinades and spice blends. The key move here is reserving a portion of the marinade before the raw chicken ever touches it, so you have a clean, safe basting sauce ready to brush on during grilling. Charring the skin side first and letting it release on its own gives you that gorgeous, crackling crust that jerk chicken is famous for. A squeeze of fresh lime at the end cuts right through the richness and ties everything together beautifully.
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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.
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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