Ainsley Harriott’s Ultimate Jerk Chicken is a bold, smoky Caribbean marinade recipe featuring fiery Scotch bonnet chillies, fresh ginger, allspice, and dark soy sauce. It’s the definitive Jamaican barbecue dish, marinated overnight for maximum flavour and ready to grill in 40 minutes.
Ainsley Harriott Jerk Chicken Ingredients
For the Jerk Marinade
- 225g onions, peeled and quartered
- 2 small Scotch bonnet chillies, halved and de-seeded
- 50g fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 3cm piece of fresh turmeric root, peeled (or 1 tbsp ground turmeric)
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- 15g fresh thyme leaves
- 120ml white wine vinegar
- 120ml dark soy sauce
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Chicken
- 1 x 1.5kg chicken, spatchcocked (backbone removed — ask your butcher)
- Mixed salad or crunchy coleslaw, to serve
How To Make Ainsley Harriott Jerk Chicken
- Make the marinade: Place all marinade ingredients (except salt and pepper) into a food processor and pulse until completely smooth.
- Season: Add a little sea salt and a generous grinding of black pepper. Taste and adjust.
- Slash the chicken: Cut deep slashes into the smooth (skin) side of the spatchcocked chicken so the marinade penetrates deep into the flesh.
- Marinate: Place chicken in a shallow dish, pour over the marinade, and rub it thoroughly into every part of the meat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2–3 hours — preferably overnight — turning occasionally.
- Bring to temperature: Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to come to room temperature.
- Grill: Preheat a barbecue with a lid. Cook the chicken with the lid down for 40–50 minutes, turning occasionally and basting with any leftover marinade, until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced.
- Rest and serve: Remove from heat, rest for 5 minutes, then serve with mixed salad or traditional coleslaw.
Recipe Tips
- Scotch bonnet heat: Scotch bonnets are very hot. Start with one chilli de-seeded if you prefer mild heat, or keep the seeds in for an authentic Jamaican burn.
- Marinating time: The longer you marinate, the deeper the flavour. Overnight is strongly recommended — the soy sauce and vinegar tenderise the meat as well as add flavour.
- No barbecue? You can roast the spatchcocked chicken in the oven at 190°C/170°C fan for 45–55 minutes. Finish under the grill for 5 minutes to char the skin.
- Chicken breasts option: Use 4 skin-on chicken breasts and barbecue for 15–20 minutes instead.
- Wet vs dry jerk: This is a wet marinade. For a dry rub version, increase the allspice and thyme and omit the vinegar and soy sauce.
What To Serve With Ainsley Harriott Jerk Chicken
- Rice and Peas: Classic Jamaican accompaniment with kidney beans and coconut milk
- Crunchy Coleslaw: The cool creaminess balances the fiery jerk spice perfectly
- Grilled Corn on the Cob: Charred corn echoes the barbecue smokiness
- Fried Dumplings: Traditional Caribbean side that Ainsley frequently pairs with jerk dishes
- Rum Punch: A Caribbean rum punch is the perfect drink pairing
How To Store Ainsley Harriott Jerk Chicken
- Refrigerate: Store leftover cooked chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The cold leftovers are excellent in sandwiches and salads.
- Freeze: The uncooked marinated chicken can be frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost fully in the fridge before cooking.
- Reheat: Reheat in the oven at 180°C for 15 minutes or on the barbecue for 10 minutes until piping hot throughout.
Nutrition Facts (per serving, based on 4 servings)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~320 kcal |
| Protein | 42g |
| Carbohydrates | 6g |
| Fat | 14g |
| Saturates | 3.5g |
| Sugar | 3g |
| Salt | 2.1g |
FAQs
Can I make jerk chicken without a barbecue?
Yes. Roast in the oven at 190°C (170°C fan / Gas 5) for 45–55 minutes, then blast under the grill for 5 minutes to get the charred skin. You won’t get the exact smoky flavour, but it’s still delicious.
How hot is Ainsley’s jerk chicken?
With 2 de-seeded Scotch bonnets it’s medium-hot. Scotch bonnets rate 100,000–350,000 on the Scoville scale — significantly hotter than jalapeños. Remove both chillies entirely for a mild version.
Can I use this marinade on other proteins?
Absolutely. Ainsley himself recommends using the jerk marinade on fish, pork, prawns, and even grains and vegetables.
Is jerk chicken gluten-free?
Check your soy sauce — most standard soy sauce contains wheat. Swap for tamari (gluten-free soy sauce) to make this recipe fully gluten-free.
Ainsley Harriott Ultimate Jerk Chicken Recipe
Ainsley Harriott’s Ultimate Jerk Chicken is a bold, smoky Caribbean classic marinated in Scotch bonnet chillies, fresh ginger, allspice, and dark soy sauce. The definitive Jamaican BBQ dish, ready to grill in 40 minutes after an overnight marinade.
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Barbecue with Lid
- Shallow Dish
- Sharp Knife
- Kitchen Paper
Ingredients
Jerk Marinade
- 225 g onions peeled and quartered
- 2 Scotch bonnet chillies halved and de-seeded (use 1 for mild heat)
- 50 g fresh root ginger peeled and roughly chopped
- 3 cm fresh turmeric root peeled, or 1 tbsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 15 g fresh thyme leaves
- 120 ml white wine vinegar
- 120 ml dark soy sauce use tamari for gluten-free
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Chicken
- 1 whole chicken (1.5kg) spatchcocked — backbone removed
To Serve
- mixed salad or crunchy coleslaw
- rice and peas optional
Instructions
- Place the onions, Scotch bonnet chillies, ginger, turmeric, allspice, thyme, white wine vinegar, and dark soy sauce into a food processor. Blend until completely smooth.
- Season the marinade with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Using a sharp knife, cut deep slashes into the skin side of the spatchcocked chicken so the marinade can penetrate deep into the flesh.
- Place the chicken in a shallow dish. Pour the jerk marinade over the top and rub it thoroughly into every part of the meat — especially into the slashes. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 2–3 hours, ideally overnight, turning occasionally.
- Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature. This ensures even cooking throughout.
- Preheat your barbecue. Place the chicken on the grill skin-side down and cook with the lid closed for 40–50 minutes, turning occasionally and basting with any leftover marinade, until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced.
- Remove from the barbecue and rest for 5 minutes before carving. Serve with mixed salad, coleslaw, or rice and peas.
Video
Notes
The longer you marinate the chicken, the deeper and more authentic the jerk flavour. Overnight is strongly recommended. If you don’t have a barbecue, roast at 190°C (170°C fan) for 45–55 minutes and finish under the grill for 5 minutes to char the skin.
Scotch bonnets are very hot — start with one de-seeded chilli if you prefer a milder heat. Swap dark soy sauce for tamari to make this recipe gluten-free.
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