Jerk Chicken Skewers (Print Version)

Spicy jerk chicken grilled with pineapple and peppers for a colorful, flavorful Caribbean dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Jerk Marinade

01 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
02 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
03 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
04 - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
05 - 1 teaspoon ground allspice
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
07 - 1 teaspoon ground ginger
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
10 - 1 Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, seeded and finely chopped
11 - 4 spring onions, chopped
12 - Juice of 1 lime
13 - 1 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Meats and Produce

15 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
16 - 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
17 - 1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
18 - 1 small fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1.5-inch chunks

→ To Serve

19 - Fresh lime wedges
20 - Chopped cilantro

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine all marinade ingredients including vegetable oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, thyme, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, minced garlic, Scotch bonnet pepper, spring onions, lime juice, salt, and black pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth consistency is achieved.
02 - Place chicken thigh pieces in a large bowl or zip-top bag. Pour the prepared marinade over chicken, ensuring all pieces are well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight for maximum flavor development.
03 - Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes to prevent burning during grilling.
04 - Thread marinated chicken, pineapple chunks, and bell pepper pieces alternately onto prepared skewers, distributing ingredients evenly across each skewer.
05 - Place skewers on preheated grill and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally to ensure even cooking and charring. Chicken is done when internal temperature reaches 165°F and shows no pink inside.
06 - Transfer hot skewers to serving platter. Garnish with fresh lime wedges and chopped cilantro if desired. Serve immediately with coconut rice or crisp green salad.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The chicken thighs stay impossibly juicy even with the aggressive seasoning and heat.
  • Those charred pineapple pieces add this unexpected sweetness that plays perfectly against the spicy kick.
  • You can prep everything the night before, so you're really just grilling when your guests arrive.
02 -
  • Don't skip the soaking if you're using wooden skewers; I learned this the hard way when half my skewer caught fire and I had to do some very awkward rescue grilling.
  • Reserve some marinade before adding raw chicken, boil it, and brush it on while grilling for extra flavor and moisture—it's a game-changer that nobody tells you about.
03 -
  • Mix a little extra marinade and save it separately before the raw chicken touches it, then boil that reserved batch and brush it on during the last minute of grilling for an extra flavor boost.
  • Cut all your vegetables slightly larger than you think they need to be; they shrink more than you expect on a hot grill.
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