Caribbean Jerk Chicken

Fourth of July week. We did the sparklers on the back porch instead of the waterfront—the fireworks were cancelled citywide and the neighborhood was quieter for it, though someone on F Street had their own and the sky was lit at eleven PM anyway because Southie is Southie. Liam held a sparkler for the first time, with Sean's hands over his, and looked at the light with the exact expression he uses for things that are beautiful and slightly alarming. "Hot," he said. Yes. Hot. Beautiful and hot. He wanted another one.

Nora is three months. She's been rolling back to side and looking at everything with the alert focus of someone who has been in the same room since April and is conducting a thorough reassessment now that she can move. She saw the sparkler from the carrier on my chest and her eyes went to it the way eyes go to light—immediate, total. "Nora likes the sparkler," Liam said. He's been narrating her experience to us as if we can't see it. We can see it. We still appreciate the narration.

Made a big grilled shrimp salad on Friday—the Fourth meal we didn't have at the Cape—with corn and avocado and lime. Simple and summer. We ate on the back porch as we have most dinners this summer, because the porch is the answer to most questions between June and September in this city.

The pandemic summer. I want to record this accurately: it is hard and it is also good. The hardness and the goodness are not separate. They're the same summer.

That Friday shrimp salad was simple and exactly right, but the meal I keep coming back to from that week — the one that felt most like the summer we were actually having, complicated and bright at the same time — was the jerk chicken we threw on the grill the night before. There’s something about jerk seasoning that matches the mood: it’s warm and a little alarming, like a sparkler, and you want more of it. If you’re cooking on a back porch with nowhere to be, this is the recipe.

Prep Time: 15 min (plus 2–8 hrs marinating) | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 45 min active | Servings: 4–6

Ingredients

3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks work best)
3 green onions, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, seeded (use 1/2 for milder heat)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

Make the marinade. Combine green onions, garlic, scotch bonnet pepper, soy sauce, olive oil, brown sugar, lime juice, thyme, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, and salt in a blender or food processor. Blend until a smooth paste forms.
Marinate the chicken. Score each piece of chicken 2–3 times with a knife to help the marinade penetrate. Place chicken in a large zip-top bag or baking dish and pour marinade over it. Toss to coat thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for best flavor.
Prep the grill. Heat an outdoor grill to medium-high (about 400°F). Oil the grates. Remove chicken from the refrigerator 20 minutes before grilling to take the chill off.
Grill the chicken. Place chicken pieces skin-side down on the grill. Cook for 12–15 minutes per side, turning once, until the skin is charred in spots and an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F at the thickest part. Watch for flare-ups from the sugar in the marinade — move pieces to indirect heat as needed.
Rest and serve. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Serve with lime wedges and your choice of sides — rice, grilled corn, or a simple avocado salad all work beautifully.

Nutrition (per serving)

Caribbean Jerk Chicken — The Summer We Stayed Home and Grilled Anyway