This West African Jerk Chicken recipe relies on a blend of heady spices rubbed into the chicken which is then flame-grilled or oven-baked to deliver chicken that is succulent, smoky, spicy and sweet. Delicious as a side dish or served with a salad. 

 

This West African Jerk Chicken recipe relies on a blend of heady spices rubbed into the chicken which is then flame-grilled or oven-baked to deliver chicken that is succulent, smoky, spicy and sweet. Delicious as a side dish or served with a salad. .

One of the hallmarks of African or indeed Caribbean cooking is chilli. We love all things spicy. And spicy means all kinds of chillis – , habanero, jalapeno, scotch bonnet, ghost peppers – are usually on the menu. Not all once, of course, but you get the drift? Growing up in an African household meant I grew up on chilli and I especially love chilli. Now imagine the challenge of cooking for a household with a 7-year old who exhibits zero tolerance for any kind of heat in a dish. Do I have your sympathy yet?

 

This West African Jerk Chicken recipe relies on a blend of heady spices rubbed into the chicken which is then flame-grilled or oven-baked to deliver chicken that is succulent, smoky, spicy and sweet. Delicious as a side dish or served with a salad. 

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This week, I set myself a challenge to modify the jerk chicken rub recipe I have used for years. You see, the African jerk chicken I grew up on, gets it’s heat from scotch bonnet peppers, which by the way, are devilishly hot. And that is incompatible with my 7-year old. The challenge was to create a jerk chicken rub mild enough for a chilli-sensitive palate, yet punchy enough to deliver a kick, jerk-style.

 

Dare I say, I may be onto something with this recipe, I think. And it has to do with the spice mix. It’s got that oooomph that you expect from a jerk rub… thank goodness!

 

This African jerk chicken is smoky and sweet in a spicy kind of way.

 

or should that be smoky and spicy in a sweet kind of way?

 

Kid-Friendly West African Jerk Chicken

 


 

Kid-friendly African Jerk Chicken
Kid-friendly African Jerk Chicken
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This West African Jerk Chicken recipe relies on a blend of heady spices rubbed into the chicken which is then flame-grilled or oven-baked to deliver chicken that is succulent, smoky, spicy and sweet. Delicious as a side dish or served with a salad. 
Servings Prep Time
12 pieces 4 hours
Cook Time
60 minutes
Servings Prep Time
12 pieces 4 hours
Cook Time
60 minutes
Kid-friendly African Jerk Chicken
Kid-friendly African Jerk Chicken
Print Recipe
Add to Meal Plan:
This recipe has been added to your Meal Plan
This West African Jerk Chicken recipe relies on a blend of heady spices rubbed into the chicken which is then flame-grilled or oven-baked to deliver chicken that is succulent, smoky, spicy and sweet. Delicious as a side dish or served with a salad. 
Servings Prep Time
12 pieces 4 hours
Cook Time
60 minutes
Servings Prep Time
12 pieces 4 hours
Cook Time
60 minutes
Ingredients
Units:
Instructions
  1. Mix all the spices together. Do not add the oil to the spices at this point.
  2. Stab the chicken legs, making 1 centimetre cuts into the flesh. Rub the jerk mix well into the chicken paying attention to get the mix under the skin and into the cuts as well.
  3. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours.
  4. Brush extra virgin olive oil onto the chicken pieces before baking in oven for 40 minutes at 180ºC (fan-assisted), or grill on a charcoal grill on indirect heat for 50 minutes or until done.
Recipe Notes

 

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Nutrition Facts
Kid-friendly African Jerk Chicken
Amount Per Serving
Calories 374 Calories from Fat 198
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g 34%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5g
Monounsaturated Fat 9g
Cholesterol 133mg 44%
Sodium 1077mg 45%
Potassium 371mg 11%
Total Carbohydrates 4g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 2g
Protein 38g 76%
Vitamin A 11%
Vitamin C 12%
Calcium 3%
Iron 16%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.