Jamaican jerk chicken is a flavorful grilled chicken dish that is a staple in Jamaican cuisine. It gets its signature spicy-smoky flavor from a wet marinade or dry rub made with Scotch bonnet peppers, allspice, thyme garlic cinnamon, nutmeg, and other spices. With its complex blend of heat and aromatic spices, you may wonder what sauce pairs best with this robust chicken dish. There are several delicious sauces that complement and enhance the flavors of jerk chicken wonderfully.
Understanding Jamaican Jerk Chicken
To determine what sauce goes well with jerk chicken, it helps to first understand the origins and typical flavors of the dish. Jerk chicken originated in Jamaica, where street food vendors would season chicken with a spicy marinade and cook it over open flame grills made from pimento wood. The wood smoking imparts a distinctive smoky aroma and flavor.
The primary flavors in traditional jerk chicken come from the Scotch bonnet pepper and allspice. Scotch bonnets provide intense heat while allspice offers a sweet, slightly peppery taste. Other common seasonings include thyme, garlic, scallions, and onions, which provide herbal and aromatic qualities. Overall, the dish combines the spicy kick of chili peppers with warm, robust spices for a truly unique flavor profile.
Popular Sauce Options for Jerk Chicken
When pairing sauces with jerk chicken, you’ll want options that complement rather than overwhelm the spices and smokiness. Here are some popular sauces that work exceptionally well:
Jerk Sauce An authentic jerk sauce marries perfectly with jerk chicken Made similarly to the marinade, it packs that characteristic blend of habaneros, allspice, garlic, and more to reinforce the classic jerk flavors.
Mango Sauce Sweet mango sauce provides a refreshing contrast to jerk chicken’s heat, The tropical fruit flavors blend wonderfully with the warm spices
Pineapple Salsa: Like mango sauce, pineapple salsa gives a sweet, fruity kick. The acidity helps cut through the richness of the chicken as well.
Tamarind Sauce: Common in Caribbean cuisines, tamarind sauce has a tangy, slightly sour taste that balances the spices.
Avocado Sauce: Creamy avocado sauce delivers cooling relief from the heat while accentuating the dish’s smoky essence.
Barbecue Sauce: Classic barbecue sauce infuses jerk chicken with sweet, smoky, molasses and tomato-based flavors.
Honey Mustard: Honey mustard blends sweet honey with zesty mustard for a pleasant complement to the chicken. The tanginess cuts the richness nicely.
Making Your Own Jerk Sauce
You can easily make homemade jerk sauce to serve with your chicken. Simply blend scallions, onions, habanero peppers, allspice, thyme, cinnamon, garlic, brown sugar, olive oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and other favorite seasonings until smooth. For milder heat, use less peppers or a jalapeno instead of habanero. Adjust sweetness by adding more or less brown sugar.
Tailor the sauce to your tastes. You can also divide it and create two versions, one spicier and one milder to accommodate different preferences. Preparing your own allows you to control the flavor and spice level perfectly.
Traditional Jamaican Side Dishes
In Jamaica, jerk chicken is usually enjoyed as part of a larger island-inspired meal. Traditional Jamaican side dishes that pair wonderfully include:
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Rice and Peas: Rice cooked in coconut milk with kidney beans and ginger.
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Fried Plantains: Ripe plantain slices fried until caramelized and crisp.
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Festival: Sweet fried dough fritters made with cornmeal and sweet potatoes.
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Callaloo: A leafy green Jamaican vegetable similar to spinach.
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Johnny Cakes: Fried dumplings made from flour, cornmeal, milk, and baking powder.
These sides complement the heat of the chicken with starchy, sweet, and refreshing contrasts in flavor and texture. Their tropical essence accentuates the island vibe.
Creative Fusion Flavors
While traditional sauces and sides work well, don’t be afraid to get creative with fusions! Jerk chicken can handle a variety of flavors. Consider these untraditional but delicious pairings:
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Jerk chicken tacos with mango salsa and Mexican crema.
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Jerk chicken sandwich with goat cheese, arugula, and chimichurri mayo.
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Jerk chicken pizza with grilled pineapple and red onion.
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Jerk chicken bowl with black beans, quinoa, avocado, and cilantro lime dressing.
Use sauces from various cuisines to inspire exotic jerk chicken dishes. Blend Caribbean, Mexican, Asian, or Mediterranean flavors for exciting cross-cultural recipes.
From classic jerk sauce to tropical mango and pineapple salsas, there are many excellent sauces to complement Jamaican jerk chicken’s addictive spicy-smoky essence. Play with sweet fruity options, creamy sauces, zesty marinades, and traditional pairings to find your favorite combination. With so many diverse flavors to choose from, you’ll enjoy discovering new and delicious ways to dress up this iconic island dish. Just go beyond the usual barbecue sauce and unleash your creativity!
How to Make Jerk Marinade and Sauce
Making this tasty dish starts with a super spicy marinade that is slathered on the chicken and left on for at least a few hours, but preferably overnight.
The marinade is a wet mix of spices, seasonings, and scotch bonnet chilis.
(Shh… don’t tell on me, but I’m going to let you in on a little secret. You can actually purchase Jamaican jerk marinade on Amazon, and it’s the exact same brand that the Jamaicans buy and use at home. I have it on good authority from a Jamaican that this is the closest sauce you can get to making it yourself. If you don’t want to make your own marinade, you should purchase this sauce.)
Now back to cooking! This isn’t a marinade for those who don’t like heat. It’s super spicy. That’s what makes it truly Jamaican. Yes, you can leave the chilies out, but it won’t be as authentic. Look at those delicious chilies!
If you can’t get your hands on any scotch bonnets, you can substitute with habanero or jalapeno. Habanero chilis are actually very similar to scotch bonnets in heat, though scotch bonnets are a bit sweeter.
These peppers are screaming hot, but you can tone down the spiciness by removing the veins and seeds. If you don’t like a lot of spice, remove all the seeds and veins.
Other ingredients in the marinade include olive oil, ground thyme, brown sugar, soy sauce, white vinegar, all spice, black pepper, sage, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and dried ginger.
Put all these ingredients into a food processor or blender and mix it all up into a nicely ground paste. I’ve seen versions that aren’t as ground up as mine is, but I prefer a finer grind because it spreads easier and doesn’t burn.
About the chicken: the way it’s done in Jamaica is to spatchcock it, which is to remove the backbone, and the breast bone so it lays flat. This makes the chicken cook at the same speed all around.
If you don’t know how to spatchcock, here are some easy instructions.
Spread the paste all over the chicken and leave it to marinate in the refrigerator for as long as you can, up to 24 hours. This is what allows the flavor to really set in.
Learning Chicken From Scotchies
When I arrived in Montego Bay, one of the first things we did was head over to the jerk chicken empire called Scotchies. It’s a roadside charcoal barbecue joint that makes and sells hundreds of Jamaican jerk chickens every day.
Their chickens are slow-cooked over an outdoor charcoal oven every single day. If anyone knows how to make authentic Jamaican jerk marinade and sauce the right way, it’s them. I mean, just look at that chicken!
During the few hours we hung around at Scotchies, we learned a few key things. The chicken is marinated overnight in their spicy jerk marinade, then it’s slow roasted over a charcoal fire pit on top of logs of pimento wood. This process imparts a delectable flavor and makes the chicken juicy and oh so tender.
The 3 keys to jerk your chicken #jamaicanfood
FAQ
What sauce goes with Jamaican jerk chicken?
Serve grilled chicken with Cilantro Lime Sauce for dipping and lime wedges for squeezing over chicken.
What to serve jamaican jerk chicken with?
Jerk chicken is delicious when roasted and served with rice and peas, or barbecued as kebabs.
What flavors pair well with jerk?
Try a Dark and Stormy cocktail made with ginger beer and dark rum. It’s the perfect compliment to the bold flavors of the jerk seasoning. And if you’re feeling adventurous, try a Smoky Margarita with a mezcal and lime juice base. It’s smoky, spicy, and everything nicey.
What is the famous Jamaican sauce?
In Jamaica, escovitch pickle is the most popular seafood sauce, especially at Easter time. It’s loved by seafood lovers and pepper lovers alike because it is easy to make, flavourful, and versatile.