Jamaican Jerk Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
Blog: www.nextinlime.com
Servings: 2 (when paired with generous portion of sides)
Ingredients
For Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Paste
- 1 tablespoon jerk seasoning powder - aka Jamaican jerk seasoning (see important Note A)
- 3 cloves garlic - peeled and grated, I use a microplane for grating
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil - any neutral oil you prefer
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1.5 tablespoons lemon juice - fresh, not bottled
Other ingredients
- 1 pound (500 g) chicken leg quarters - skin on, bone in, pat-dried with kitchen paper towel
- a few lemon slices - optional, for garnishing
- some chopped fresh parsley or cilantro - optional, for garnishing
Instructions
- Have all ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking. Tip: Use the checkboxes next to each ingredient to track your prep.
- Mix together all the ingredients listed under "Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Paste" (See Note A below).
- In a large bowl, mix this paste and chicken leg quarters together. For best results, refrigerate and let it marinate for at least an hour, or up to overnight. If short on time, you can cook it immediately, though marinating makes it a lot better.
- Arrange the quarters (skin-side up) in a single layer in a baking dish/sheet. Don't overcrowd. Pour any remaining paste/liquid over the chicken.
- Set your oven rack in the center, preheat to 350°F / 180°C, and bake the chicken uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads at least 165°F / 75°C on an instant-read thermometer. I prefer cooking thighs and legs to around 180°F / 82°C.
- Baste the leg quarters every 15 minutes with the juices from the baking dish/sheet. Cooking time may vary depending on your oven and the size of the pieces. Start checking after 40 minutes. No need to flip the chicken.
- For a nice, slightly charred look, turn on your oven’s top broiler for the last 3 to 4 minutes. Keep an eye on the skin, as it can go from charred to burnt very quickly.
- When serving, I put a few lemon slices alongside the chicken and sprinkle some fresh chopped herbs like cilantro or parsley on top. If you try this recipe, I'd love to hear how it turned out in your kitchen. Leave your rating and comment below.
Notes
Note A: Jerk Seasoning – If you haven’t used jerk seasoning powder before or are trying a brand you’re not familiar with, start small. Say 2 teaspoons instead of 1 tablespoon. Once you've made the "seasoning paste", taste it and adjust the seasoning powder in small increments, if needed. The paste might taste salty on its own, but that’s fine. Once spread on the chicken, it balances out. What you’re really tasting for is the flavor and heat. Typically, you'll need 1 to 2 tablespoons of seasoning per pound of leg quarters.