Oven Jerk Chicken & Festival

Y’all…I’m a summer baby who enjoys summer activities all year round despite living in the northeast and this jamaican jerk chicken and festival recipe is sound proof of that. Now, traditional jerk chicken is done outside, on a grill, with pimento wood and charcoal, however, this may not always be attainable for some of us! I had to figure out a way to achieve that authentic jerk chicken flavor by using my oven and I’m glad I did.

What makes a chicken jerked?

”Jerked” is not actually a seasoning, but refers to the method in which a protein is cooked. It’s the style that is employed when cooking chicken or pork. Traditional jerk chicken or jerk pork includes lighting up a grill with charcoal, using pimento wood, pimento leaves, and finishing if off with a nice bottle of red stripe beer.

What is jerk seasoning made of?

There are two types of jerk seasoning: a dry rub and a wet rub. The hallmarks of a dry rub jerk seasoning include an aromatic blend of pimento berries (allspice), ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, and scotch bonnet pepper (or habanero). The addition of browning sauce, fresh onion & garlic, and scallion to the recipe can turn the dry rub into a wet rub.

What is Jamaican Festival?

Jamaican festival is a form of fried dough that is made with cornmeal, sugar, and a dash of nutmeg. Commonly served with jerk chicken, jerk pork, or escovitch fish, it’s the perfect sweet balance to a savory meal.

Oven Jerk Chicken Recipe:

Jerk Chicken Marinade:

*Equipment needed: blender or food processor)

(Note: this recipe is for a small batch, if you have leftovers, you can store in a tightly sealed mason jar for up to 30 days)

-1/2 onion, chopped

-6 garlic cloves

-1 scallion, chopped

-1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

-1/2 tsp nutmeg

-1 inch of ginger (chopped) or 1 tsp of ginger powder

-6 sprigs of thyme

-1 1/2 tsp browning

-1 scotch bonnet pepper or habanero (I suggest using half for a mild spice. 1 whole pepper may be too spicy for most people)

-1/2 chicken boullion cube

-1 small handfull of allspice berries (approximately 10-15)

For the Chicken:

-3.5 lb of chicken quarters (legs & thighs)

-5 tbsp of jerk marinade

-1 tsp all purpose seasoning

-1 tsp chicken seasoning

-1 tsp onion powder

-1 tsp garlic powder

-1 tsp paprika

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Begin by adding all of your jerk marinade ingredients to a blender or food processor and pulsing until ingredients are well blended and form a paste. If you prefer a more textured marinade that is more chunky than liquid (this will make a more mild flavor), then pulse/blend for 10 seconds. Add your marinade, all purpose seasoning, chicken seasoning, paprika, and onion & garlic powder and massage it into the chicken. Marinate for 30 minutes. Place into the oven uncovered and cook for 1 hr 15 minutes. Be sure to baste every 30 minutes! *tip: if after 45 minutes there is no juice in the pan, your oven may run hot. Turn the temp down to 350 & cover the pan with foil. Add another 20 minutes to the cooking time.

Jamaican Festivals Recipe

2cups All Purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup fine cornmeal

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

3/4 cup of water

2 cups of oil (vegetable, canola, or corn)

Directions:

In a small mixing bowl, add flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Stir until well combined. Slowly add water, a few tablespoons at a time and knead the flour each time you add water. Knead the flour until you have formed a soft, smooth, round mound of dough. Cover the bowl with a wet paper towel and let it sit for 20 minutes. Place a medium sized frying pan on low/medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the oil and heat for 3 minutes. Pinch off sections of dough and roll into oblong shapes. Fry for 5-7 minutes or until all festival have turned golden brown. Remember to continue to flip the festivals so it doesn’t burn. Drain on a paper towel and serve!