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Harriott Ultimate Jerk Chicken Recipe

Ainsley Harriott Ultimate Jerk Chicken

Ainsley Harriott’s Ultimate Jerk Chicken is a smoky Caribbean barbecue classic made with a bold homemade jerk marinade of Scotch bonnet chillies, ginger, turmeric, thyme, vinegar, and dark soy sauce, then cooked until juicy and charred.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Marinating Time 3 hours
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Main Event
Cuisine Caribbean
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • Food Processor
  • Shallow Dish
  • Barbecue with Lid
  • Thin metal skewer

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken

  • 1 1.5kg chicken backbone removed and spatchcocked
  • mixed salad or coleslaw to serve

For the Jerk Marinade

  • 225 g onions peeled and quartered
  • 2 small Scotch bonnet chillies halved and de-seeded
  • 50 g fresh root ginger peeled and roughly chopped
  • 3 cm piece fresh turmeric root peeled and roughly chopped, 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
  • sea salt to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Place all the marinade ingredients, except the seasoning, into a food processor and pulse until smooth. Season with a little salt and a generous grinding of black pepper.
  • Cut slashes into the smooth side of the spatchcocked chicken so that the marinade can penetrate the flesh, then place the chicken in a shallow dish.
  • Pour over the marinade and rub well into the meat.
  • Cover and chill for at least 2-3 hours, or preferably overnight, turning every now and then.
  • Preheat a barbecue with a lid and take the chicken out of the fridge to come up to room temperature.
  • Cook the chicken on the hot barbecue 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 with a thin metal skewer.
  • Remove the chicken from the heat and rest for a few minutes, then serve with a simple mixed salad or a traditional crunchy coleslaw.

Notes

For the deepest flavour, marinate the chicken overnight rather than just 2-3 hours.
If you prefer, you can use four chicken breasts with the skin on and cook them on the barbecue for 15-20 minutes instead.
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