Ingredients

INGREDIENTS

¾cup packed light brown sugar

¾ cup ground allspice

¾ cup minced scallions

½ cup peanut or canola oil

⅓ cup ground black pepper

¼ cup kosher salt

¼ cup minced ginger

¼ cup fresh lime juice

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tbsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

½ tsp. ground cloves

8 cloves garlic, minced

3 Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles, stemmed and minced

2 3-4-lb. chickens, each quartered

Preparation

  1. Combine sugar, allspice, scallions, oil, pepper, salt, ginger, juice, soy sauce, thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, garlic, and chiles in a bowl. Add chicken; toss to coat in jerk marinade. Cover with plastic wrap; chill at least 6 hours, or overnight.

  2. Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill to medium. (Alternatively, heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat.) Add chicken, skin side down; cook, turning once, until marinade forms a crust on the outside, about 8 minutes. Cover grill; continue cooking until cooked through, about 40 minutes. (Alternatively, transfer chicken to a foil-lined baking sheet; bake in a 350° oven until done.)