Ingredients

  • 3 fresh scotch bonnet peppers or 3 habanero peppers
  • 6 scallions, coarsely chopped
  • 3 shallots, quartered
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 teaspoons ground allspice
  • 1 12 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1 12 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 12 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 12 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 14 cup vegetable oil
  • 8 whole chicken legs, thighs and drumsticks separated

Method

  • Discard stems, seeds, and ribs from 2 chiles and coarsely chop.
  • Coarsely chop remaining chile including seeds (for a less spicy dish, seed half of chile before chopping).
  • Blend chiles with remaining ingredients except chicken in a food processor until a paste forms.
  • Cut several 1-inch-long slits in each piece of chicken, then rub paste all over chicken, rubbing it into slits.
  • Marinate, covered and chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 1 day (longer is better for flavour).
  • To cook chicken on charcoal kettle grill: When charcoal turns grayish white (15 to 20 minutes from lighting) and you can hold your hand 5 inches about top rack for 3 to 4 seconds, grill chicken, skin sides down first, on portion of lightly oiled grill rack with no coals underneath, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes.
  • To cook chicken using indirect heat on gas grill: Preheat all burners on high (until thermostat registers 500F).
  • Turn off 1 burner and reduce heat on other burner (or burners) to medium.
  • (Thermostat should register 350 to 375F.)
  • Grill chicken, skin sides down first, on portion of lightly oiled grill rack over unlit burner, covered, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes.
  • If you aren't able to grill, you can roast jerk chicken, skin sides up, in 2 large shallow flameproof baking pans (1 inch deep) in upper and lower thirds of a preheated 450F oven, switching position of pans halfway through roasting, until cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Then turn on broiler and broil chicken, about 4 inches from heat, until skin is browned and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes.