Summer is the perfect time to let loose and go to the islands - unfortunately, not all of us can take a spontaneous trip to the Caribbean at the drop of a hat. But who says you can't bring the flavour of the island home? Here's our Jamaican Jerk BBQ Chicken Skewers recipe. 

Ingredients (for 10 Pieces):

• 2 pkgs Thin Chicken Breasts

Jerk Marinade Ingredients:

• 1 Large Bunch of Scallions (about 8 per bunch), white and green parts included
• 2 Shallots (peeled and halved)
• 4 Habaneros
• 3 tsps. Kosmos Q Chili Lime Wing Dust
• 3 tsps. David’s Jamaican Jerk Rub
• 1 2-inch Fresh Ginger (peeled and coarsely chopped)
• 6 Garlic Cloves (peeled)
• ¼ Cup Fresh Thyme Leaves (or 1 Tbsps. Dried)
• 2 Tbsps. Ground All Spice (plus a pinch more for sprinkling)
• 2 Tbsps. Soy Sauce
• 2 Tbsps. Dark Brown Sugar
• 1 Tbsp. Salt (plus a pinch more for sprinkling)
• 1 Tbsp. Black Pepper
• ½ Cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 Tbsp. White or Apple Cider Vinegar
• Freshly Squeezed Juice of 2 Limes

Marinade Directions:

STEP 1: This one's easy, just combine all of the Jerk Marinade Ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend them all until you get a coarse paste.

STEP 2: Put that delicious marinade in a bag and drop your pieces of chicken breast in it.

STEP 3: Alright, now let that Jamaican Jerk marinade sink into the chicken by refrigerating them for 12 to 36 hours.

STEP 4: After waiting the for the longest 12 to 36 hours of your life (good job by the way), take them out and place them onto a plate, pan, or parchment paper. Let them sit and come up to room temperature (sorry, you'll have to wait a little longer), then sprinkle some salt on them to season to your liking.

STEP 5: Time for the fun part: thread those marinated pieces of chicken on to the skewer. Raw chicken can be hard to poke through so be careful not to poke yourself! 

Grilling Directions:

STEP 1: First things first, this recipe calls for a charcoal grill; however, don't worry if you don't have one. You can still do everything on a gas grill, just ignore the awesome parts about charcoal grilling and skip to Step 4 after preheating your grill.

Whether you have a charcoal or gas grill, be sure to clean and oil your grates and preheat your BBQ to 300°F.

STEP 2: For the charcoal grillers out there, your coals should be at least 12 inches away from the chicken. If necessary, push coals to one side of grill and utilize the indirect cooking method. Add two large handfuls of wood chips (we used True North Sugar Maple and Hickory) and close grill lid.

To learn more about different methods of charcoal cooking, read this blog post: How to Arrange Your Coals 6 Different Ways

STEP 3: Start your charcoal and let the thick white smoke billow out of the grill. Only place your Jamaican Jerk Chicken Skewers on your grates when you reach that desirable thin "clear smoke" or "blue smoke". 

Note: If your grill is at 300°F., then you should have achieved that beautiful blue smoke. Don't know what we mean by blue smoke? Read our blog post: What is White Smoke vs. Blue Smoke?

STEP 4: Let those delicious Jerk Chicken Skewers cook undisturbed for about 5-6 minutes, then flip the skewers to cook the other side for another 5-6 minutes. Be sure to minimize the amount you flip the skewers - theoretically, you should only have to flip them once.

STEP 5: Make sure the chicken is done. This style of BBQ Jamaican Jerk Chicken is done when the skin is brown, slightly charred to your liking, and the juices are clear. If you're cooking with charcoal, there may be a light pink tinge from the charcoal smoke - don't worry, this is normal. Lastly, be sure the minimum internal temperature reaches at least 165 ºF before pulling the chicken off the grill. 

You'll need a good thermometer for this, we suggest getting the Brander Sidekick Digital Thermometer if you don't already have one.

Feelin' like an islander yet? How did it taste? Let us know on our social media pages that you can find by clicking here. 

Are you an Island lover? Here are some more delicious Carribean BBQ recipes try:

•  Caribbean Chicken with Mango Salsa and Coconut Rice Recipe
• Jerk Chicken with Jerk Rub Recipe
• Jerk Chicken Wings Recipe

Recipe written by barbecue enthusiast and professional competitor Andrew Plaza. Follow him on Instagram for more barbecue goodness by clicking here.

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