A Jamaican chicken dish built on whole ingredients.

Servings: 4
Active time: 30 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min

Organic sourcing

Scallions and peppers are on the Dirty Dozen; sourcing organic reduces pesticide exposure. Citrus like lime can be non-organic due to their thick skin.

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in chicken breasts or thighs
• 6 scallions
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 medium onion
• 2 scotch bonnet peppers
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tbsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp honey

Method

1. Roughly chop the scallions, garlic, and onion. Remove seeds from the scotch bonnet peppers for less heat, if desired.
2. In a blender or food processor, combine the scallions, garlic, onion, scotch bonnet peppers, thyme, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, lime juice, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, and honey.
3. Blend until smooth to form the jerk marinade.
4. Place the chicken in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over. Ensure the chicken is well coated.
5. Cover and refrigerate the chicken for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, to marinate.
6. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and let excess marinade drip off.
7. Grill the chicken skin-side down first for about 10 minutes until charred lines form.
8. Flip the chicken and continue to grill for another 20-25 minutes until cooked through and juices run clear.

Notes

• For a milder jerk flavor, reduce the scotch bonnet peppers to one.
• Serve with grilled vegetables or a fresh salad for a complete meal.
• The marinated chicken can be frozen before grilling for a make-ahead option.

Source

Paraphrased from the culinary canon by Organic.is editors, 2026. Classic Jamaican recipe. If you'd like a specific source for further reading, ask Tinni (bottom-right) for a book recommendation.