Juicy, tender and full of flavor. These Jamaican Jerked Chicken Thighs disappear every time they get put on the table! One batch of marinade makes 10-15 bone-in thighs depending on how big you buy. A typical serving is 2 thighs per person, so this can feed a crowd! We like bone-in for the extra flavor, but is also great on boneless skinless if that is your preference. Check out our Roasted Sesame Green Beans for a great side dish, mix up your favorite rum drink, and feel like you’re in the islands for dinner!
The Perfect Marinade for your Thighs!
The dark meat in the thighs just drink in this marinade and provide flavor for days. You can see all the spices in the marinade bag picture above, and they stick to the outside while the liquids soak in.
One marinade will be plenty for as many thighs as you can fit into a gallon bag. IF you’re using an organic or free range thigh, they are typically smaller, so you might get 20-25 in a bag. Normal grocery store thighs are usually bigger, so maybe 12-16 can fit. For the video, we just used a single family pack of thighs from the grocery store, so had room left over with the 9 thighs in that pack.
Make sure the marinade covers the thighs completely and massage the sauce into the meat through the bag. We turned the bags and rubbed the marinade over the thighs a few times as they sat for about 24 hours between starting the marinade process and throwing them on the grill. You do need to place these in the fridge (or in our case, the cooler) as they marinate!
How to Cook the Thighs
We prefer bone-in thighs for the extra flavor that the bones secrete during the grilling process. If you use boneless, your cooking time will be less. Make sure you get the chicken to a 170-175F temperature before pulling them off the grill. This takes about 35 minutes for bone-in and maybe 24 minutes for boneless. Of course, grilling times can change with the temperature of the grill, the outside air temperature, altitude, how much meat you put on the grill, etc. so play it safe and use a thermometer!
Rolando likes to flip his thighs every 6 minutes as he cooks to allow for an even heating through the meat and so you can really see how they are coming along. These took 5 flips, so a total of 36 minutes before they were ready for the table.
Wine Pairing
A nice Tempranillo or Zinfandel should be able to keep up with all the spice in these thighs. If you’re looking for drinks outside of the realm of wine, these flavors are meant for rum. A Dark & Stormy, mojito, or other rum drink that isn’t overly sweet and fruity would be perfect!
Jamaican Jerked Chicken Thighs
Course: DinnerCuisine: JamaicanDifficulty: Medium4
servings30
minutes36
minutes499
kcal1
hour6
minutesJuicy, tender and full of flavor. These thighs disappear every time they get put on the table! One batch of marinade makes 10-15 bone-in thighs depending on how big you buy. A typical serving is 2 thighs per person, so this can feed a crowd! We like bone in for the extra flavor, but is also great on boneless skinless if that is your preference. Check out our Roasted Sesame Green Beans for a great side dish, mix up your favorite rum drink, and feel like you’re in the islands for dinner!
Ingredients
Bone-In Chicken Thighs (or boneless if your prefer) – enough to fill a gallon size baggie
Jamaican Jerk Marinade (see our recipe here)
Directions
- Mix up the Jamaican Jerk Marinade
- Trim the thighs of skin and most fat. Some fat adds to the charred flavor, so they don’t have to be perfect
- Combine chicken and marinade in a gallon bag. Make sure chicken is well covered and rub the marinade into the meat
- Marinade for 24 hours, flipping and rubbing often for the best flavor
- Cook on a 350F grill until internal temperature reaches 170-175F, usually about 35 minutes for bone in and 25 minutes for boneless
Recipe Video
Notes
- Charcoal and Mesquite are a perfect complement for this marinade, but these are great on a gas grill or in the oven as well