Jerk Chicken With Pickled Bananas

Recipe from Shaun Lewis

Adapted by Gabrielle Hamilton

Jerk Chicken With Pickled Bananas
Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Colin King.
Total Time
1 hour, plus marinating
Rating
4(934)
Comments
Read comments

At the heart of superb jerk seasoning is the coalescing of spice and heat, specifically the two dominant forces of allspice berries and chile peppers. This marinade, which came to me from Shaun Lewis, a Jamaican cook I worked with during my time as a summer camp chef, is the best I’ve ever tasted, delivering a quietly thrilling, savory warmth that kind of spreads across the chest and remains there without ever ferociously igniting. This achievement — like a dark rolling thunder that somehow remains in the neighboring field and never crosses the fence — is undoubtedly the result of the 20 other ingredients in the recipe working in tandem, so don’t omit any of them. —Gabrielle Hamilton

Featured in: Jerk Chicken So Good I’ve Been Making It Every Summer for 25 Years

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

    For the Marinade

    • 2teaspoons coriander seeds
    • 1½teaspoons cumin seeds
    • 1cup soy sauce
    • 1cup extra-virgin olive oil
    • 8ounces Guinness stout
    • 1medium red onion (about 9 ounces), finely chopped
    • 8scallions, thinly sliced
    • ¼cup Tabasco sauce
    • 1large nutmeg seed, freshly grated (about 4 teaspoons)
    • ¼cup whole allspice berries, ground (about 3 tablespoons)
    • 6large garlic cloves, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
    • 2tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
    • 1tablespoon whole black peppercorns, crushed
    • 1tablespoon honey
    • 1tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    • 2teaspoons smoked paprika
    • 1teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
    • 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
    • 2habanero chiles, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
    • 3dried bay leaves
    • 12boneless, skin-on chicken thighs

    For the Pickled Bananas

    • 6cups white vinegar
    • 1½cups granulated sugar
    • 4branches fresh thyme
    • 3tablespoons kosher salt
    • 2garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
    • 1habanero chile, split, seeds and stem intact
    • 6cloves
    • 6just-ripe bananas
Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a small skillet, toast the coriander and cumin seeds over medium heat, shaking the pan, until fragrant, 2 minutes. Let cool, then grind in a spice grinder until pulverized.

  2. Step 2

    Add to a large bowl along with all other marinade ingredients (everything but the chicken). Add 1 cup water and whisk to combine. Alternatively, working in two batches, place all marinade ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 2 or 3 times to combine.

  3. Step 3

    Place chicken in a large container big enough for all pieces plus marinade. Reserve ¾ cup marinade for later use, and pour remaining marinade over the chicken. Refrigerate 1 or 2 days (chicken can be stored for up to 5 days).

  4. Step 4

    Prepare the pickled bananas: Add all ingredients except for the bananas to a nonreactive saucepan and boil over high, 10 minutes. Chill completely. Once brine is chilled, peel and slice the bananas on the bias. Add to the brine and chill, at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

  5. Step 5

    Heat grill to medium-low. Remove chicken from marinade and temper at room temperature for 15 minutes. Place chicken on the grill, skin-side down. Every minute or so, rotate the chicken a half turn so that the skin develops a deep, dark mahogany char and has been slightly crisped and rendered, 8 to 10 minutes total.

  6. Step 6

    Turn chicken over to finish cooking, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, skin side up. Brush the reserved marinade on the skin side. Remove bananas from brine and serve with jerk chicken.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
934 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Rainangel

There is no substitute for homemade jerk sauce. Not even Walkers Wood. Try it before you pass judgement.

NullHypothesisProven

Why would you come to a cooking site that typically presents “from scratch” (or mostly so) recipes to complain that a jarred product would be easier? Yeah it exists and would be easier, but if you wanted to do that you wouldn’t want or need this recipe.

Jess

Here's a nice article about Mr. Lewis, from whom the original recipe came: https://www.telegram.com/entertainmentlife/20190317/meet-chef-shaun-lewiscraft-table-amp-bar-worcester

Dan G

Delicious recipe! For next time I’d increase the spice level. The healthier side of me would reduce the oil by half, I just felt like the sauce was very oily. And then I would most likely reduce the amount of water to concentrate the flavors a bit more. I ended up boiling the leftover marinade to make a sauce for after. Also, for as much as a banana lover that I am, I did not love the bananas.

Amy

Can you substitute ground allspice and ground nutmeg for fresh? and if so, how many tsp/tablsp. ? thanks

elisabethe

Is there a sub for the Guinness? I have a GF house.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Credits

Adapted from Shaun Lewis

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.