In good taste…Jerk-rubbed baked chicken

Each weekend I set out to cook a different meat but there are times (many times) that I end up cooking chicken, every weekend – roast, curried, stewed, baked, grilled, pan-seared etc. Whenever I am making baked chicken to change things up, I use a different marinade (liquid or herb-based) or spice rub.

I like the blackened, burnt-skin taste and look of jerk. The flavour of allspice as the meat is cooking tickles the nose and has me salivating. I go with 1 of 3 options when doing this type of jerk-rubbed chicken – use a good quality store-bought bottle of jerk marinade, use my own homemade jerk marinade or use my homemade green seasoning to which I add a generous amount of ground allspice, hot pepper and garlic powder. The next step is to marinate the chicken overnight so that the chicken becomes infused with the herbs and spices.

You can cut the chicken into quarters if you like but I prefer to halve it. When you are ready to cook the chicken, it is important to bring it up to room temperature first so that it cooks evenly. Add the chicken and the marinade to a baking dish so that the meat cooks with some moisture and when it is done, it will have its own sauce or jus.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large chicken, washed, pat dry and halved
• ½ cup jerk marinade
• Salt (optional, see note below)

DIRECTIONS

1. Rub the marinade all over the chicken as well as under the skin of the breast, between the thighs and legs. Put in a zip bag or bowl/container with a cover, seal, and refrigerate overnight.
2. 30 – 45 minutes before you are ready to cook the chicken, remove it from the refrigerator and let it come up to room temperature.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Transfer the chicken and the juices from the marinade to a baking dish such as a 9 x 13. Place the chicken skin-side up.
5. Bake for 45 minutes or until the juices run clear when a knife is inserted into the area between the leg and thigh. Remove the dish from the oven, baste with the juices, cover and let rest for 20 – 25 minutes before cutting and serving.
6. Strain the sauce/jus and serve alongside the chicken.

NOTES

• Some store-bought marinade already contain enough salt to taste, so be sure to taste the marinade before adding salt to season.
• If you are cooking late in the afternoon, you can marinate the chicken early in the morning. Let it marinate for at least 5 hours (in the refrigerator).
• Whole allspice berries are available at Mattai’s. Toast lightly until fragrant, cool, and then grind to a powder.