Spice up your chicken with a homemade Jamaican jerk marinade. Whether it’s cooked al fresco on a Big Green Egg (or similar), or inside using an oven, this will undoubtedly delight and impress your dinner guests.
Jamaican Jerk Spatchcock Chicken
Equipment
For Big Green Egg (BGE) users, a small/medium chicken fits on a Minimax.
- Two metal skewers (optional, see below)
- Poultry scissors (or a very sharp pair of scissors)
- Roasting tin and rack (if using oven)
- Hand held blender
- Kitchen thermometer or equivalent (recommended)
Using a Kitchen Thermometer, thermapen or similar device lets you know precisely when the chicken is ready, much more accurate than a specific cooking time. Our kitchen thermometer is one of those “where have you been all my life” utensils.

Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (3-4lbs)
- Pimento or apple wood chips (if using Big Green Egg)
- Jamaican Jerk marinade
Jamaican Jerk Marinade
For the marinade, take all of the ingredients below, throw them into a blender and blitz. The scotch bonnet adds a kick, vary the amount of it depending on personal taste. This makes enough for two 4lb chickens.
- 20ml malt vinegar
- 20ml light soy sauce
- 20ml olive oil
- Juice of a lime
- 1 tsp dark rum
- 1 tbsp allspice
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 3-4 smoked garlic clove, minced
- 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp smoked salt
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 small scotch bonnet, finely chopped
Left-over marinade can be stored in a refrigerator for up to a week.
Method
The method is the same to begin with, then differs depending on whether you use a BGE (or similar) or a conventional oven. Cooking time depends on weight of the chicken, always check the juices run clear before serving.
- With great care, spatchcock the chicken. This BBC Good Food video explains the spatchcocking process.
- Skewer the bird across the middle with a couple of metal skewers. Makes lifting it easier.
- Coat the top (breast-side) with Jamaican jerk marinade.

Big Green Egg
- Soak the wood chips an hour before cooking
- Set up the egg for direct cooking. If using a minimax, limit the amount of charcoal in the base so there will be a good air gap between the charcoal and the grid.
- Light the charcoal, add in the grid, get the egg to 190°C/375°F.
- Toss the wood chips onto the glowing charcoal.
- Place the spatchcocked chicken breast side up on the grid.
- Close the lid, cook for 60-75 minutes, or until the breast meat is at 74°C/165°F.
- For a crisp skin, flip the chicken over and cook skin side down for 4-5 minutes.
- Remove from the egg. Cut into portions, serve with roasted or steamed vegetables.

Conventional Oven
- Pre-heat oven at 200°C/390°F (180°C/355°F for fan ovens).
- Place the spatchcocked chicken breast side up in a roasting tin raised up on a roasting rack.
- Cook for 75-90 mins, or until the breast meat is at 74°C/165°F.
- Remove from the oven. Cut into portions, serve with roasted or steamed vegetables.

That looks delicious
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It was, I hope you try it yourself. 🙂
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