Jerk chicken recipes
Summer parties can only be improved by a big platter of jerk chicken. Try Levi Roots' sticky jerk chicken wings as a party nibble, or make more substantial jerk chicken thighs to fit in a flatbread or alongside rice and peas. Andi Oliver's jerk chicken and cornmeal waffles is next level.
Most Caribbean families make their own jerk spice rub, which may be wet or dry. In my family, in the 1970s, our jerk chicken was not always made with young chicken, but cleaning the meat by rubbing it with lemon, then brining, then marinating, then cooking it over a smoky barbecue made it very flavoursome. The chicken you buy these days is usually young and doesn’t need brining, but the brine will plump up the chicken and add flavour.
The main recipe describes how to cook jerk chicken in the oven, but instructions for cooking on a barbecue are in the recipe tips.
