Jamaican jerk chicken

I saw this on the telly ages ago and I have made it a few times since. I am not sure if this is 'truly' Jamaican - as with most shows, this was most probably the TV chef's version of it. This is best suited for a open grilling over a coal or gas barbecue, but grilling it in the oven and allowing it to char slightly on the edges works well too. There is a lot of heat that comes from the scotch bonnet (habanero) chili peppers, so adjust the amount wisely. You can also choose to leave the chicken skin on -  I usually remove it to keep it on the healthy side, but it does in fact, keep the chicken really moist. I would also recommend you use the thighs or legs to prepare this. The unusual ingredient for me was the soy sauce. I did some reading and found this is used to impart the dark colour to the meat and there are variations that use brown sugar or molasses as well.  

  

6 part boned chicken legs or thighs

Marinade
1 large onion, roughly chopped
3 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1-2 tbsp dried)
2 tbsp barbeque sauce (any store bought kind)
1-2 scotch bonnet pepper (depending on their size and heat quotient!)
4 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp ground allspice powder
4 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 inch ginger, chopped
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp cooking oil
Salt to taste

• Put all the ingredients listed under the marinade in a blender and blend to a smooth paste.
• Score the chicken pieces. Place them in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over them. Rub it in so that it gets into the scored areas and coats the chicken nicely. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 
• When you are ready to cook, crank up the grill to medium high. Place the chicken on a roasting rack so it does not sit in its own juices and end up steaming. 
• Grill on both sides for about 12-15 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. Baste with the left over sauce from time to time. 

Traditionally this is served with rice and peas - rice cooked with kidney beans, onion, garlic and thyme in coconut milk.