Primo Oval Ceramic Grill is perfect for making Chef Tom's Jamaican Jerk Chicken Skewers recipe. You'll love the delicious flavor thanks to the scratch-made jerk marinade, cooked over lump charcoal and wood.
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- A scratch-made marinade with warming spices: Blending Scotch bonnets, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves into the marinade builds the layered heat-and-spice profile that defines real Jamaican jerk, rather than relying on a single bottled seasoning.
- Slicing thighs into strips before skewering: Cutting the boneless thighs lengthwise into strips increases surface area for char and marinade contact, and makes threading onto skewers easier than trying to skewer whole thighs.
- Seasoning again after marinating: Adding Plowboys BBQ Jerk Seasoning to the skewers just before grilling reinforces the jerk flavor on the surface, layering on top of the overnight marinade instead of relying on marinade alone.
- Basting with pineapple juice while finishing: Brushing on pineapple juice during the final cooking stage adds a sweet glaze and a bit of tenderizing acidity right as the chicken approaches temperature.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken Skewers
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Entree
Cuisine
Jamaican
Servings
12
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
9 minutes
Calories
354
Chef Tom fires up the Primo Oval Ceramic Grill for Jamaican Jerk Chicken Skewers with scratch-made jerk marinade cooked over lump charcoal and wood.
Ingredients
- 3 Scotch Bonnet chiles, stems removed
- 1/2 cup green onions, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup ground Jamaican Allspice
-
1/4 cup Noble Saltworks Smoked Turbinado Sugar
-
1/4 cup Noble Saltworks Smoked Black Pepper
-
2 tbsp Noble Saltworks Cherry Wood Smoked Salt
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 5 lb chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
-
Plowboys BBQ Jerk Seasoning
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice
Directions
- Combine all ingredients except the chicken, Plowboys BBQ Jerk Seasoning and pineapple juice in a food processor and pulse until broken down, but still contains small chunks of texture.
- Combine the jerk marinade/sauce and chicken in a bowl. Toss to coat. Marinate 8 hours (or overnight).
- Build a hot charcoal fire in your Primo Oval Large Ceramic Grill.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade. Slice the thighs in half lengthwise to create long strips of chicken thighs. Thread the meat onto flat bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water for at least 30 minutes. Season the skewered chicken with Plowboys BBQ Jerk Seasoning.
- Grill over direct heat until lightly charred on all sides. Move to indirect heat, if needed.
Baste the chicken with the pineapple juice and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 175ºF, glazing occasionally.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why include so many spices in the marinade instead of using a single jerk seasoning blend?
Blending Scotch bonnets, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves from scratch builds the layered heat-and-spice complexity that defines real Jamaican jerk, rather than flattening it into whatever one bottled blend provides.
Why slice the chicken thighs into strips before skewering them?
Cutting boneless thighs lengthwise into strips increases the surface area exposed to marinade and char, and makes threading onto skewers much easier than trying to skewer a whole thigh.
Why season the skewers again with jerk seasoning after they've already marinated overnight?
Adding seasoning right before grilling reinforces jerk flavor on the surface, layering directly onto what the overnight marinade already built in, rather than relying on the marinade alone to carry all the flavor.
Why baste with pineapple juice near the end of cooking instead of marinating in it?
Brushing on pineapple juice during the final stage adds sweetness and a light glaze right as the chicken approaches temperature, without the acidity breaking down the meat's texture the way a long pineapple marinade could.
What internal temperature should the chicken skewers actually reach?
This recipe pulls them at 175°F, which is above the USDA minimum of 165°F for poultry — a safe target, with the extra few degrees helping the thigh meat stay tender after slicing into strips.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
2 out of 5 — a hot broiler or grill pan could approximate the char, but the flavor from cooking over lump charcoal and wood is central to this recipe.
Recipe Highlights
Scratch-made jerk marinade: Whole spices build real depth instead of one bottled blend.
Sliced-thigh skewers: More surface area for char and easier skewering.
Double seasoning: Marinade plus a fresh coat of jerk seasoning before grilling.
Pineapple basting: Adds sweetness and glaze right as the chicken finishes.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 7.08 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 354
- Carbs
- 5 grams
- Protein
- 27 grams
- Fat
- 24 grams
- Sodium
- 907 milligrams
