Walnut Free Thyme Jerk Chicken
Bold, smoky, and built on a marinade that hits every note ā fiery Scotch bonnet, warm allspice, fragrant thyme, and a touch of maple syrup for balance ā this jerk chicken is the kind of dish that makes your whole backyard smell incredible. The paste comes together in a blender in under a minute, and a long marinade (anywhere from four hours to overnight) means the flavors go all the way to the bone. Bone-in thighs and drumsticks are the right call here: they stay juicy through the high-heat grilling and develop that signature char on the skin that makes jerk chicken so irresistible. Tamari stands in for traditional soy sauce and keeps the ingredient list clean, while garlic-infused oil and fresh ginger round out the depth without any fuss. The reserved marinade gets brushed back on during grilling, layering even more flavor as the chicken finishes cooking. A squeeze of fresh lime at the end cuts through the heat and ties everything together beautifully. For anyone navigating tree nut concerns, every ingredient here is straightforward and easy to verify ā no hidden nut oils, no ambiguous spice blends, just a bold, honest marinade you blended yourself.
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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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