Foodie Friday 10: Jerk Chicken

I definitely ate way too much during my stay in Jamaica. And it was all thanks to Jamaican jerk chicken. The resort that I was staying at had a jerk chicken quick-service food stand that was literally open 24/7. Even though the jerk chicken at the resort wasn’t amazing, I still found myself going back again and again. But the best jerk chicken I had in Jamaica was at a place called Scotchie’s.

Scotchie’s has the full “making-of-jerk-chicken” process on display. You can see the chicken cooking on the fresh wood under large metal sheets. The wood is what makes jerk chicken so special–the chicken absorbs the oil directly from the wood (Jamaican pimento tree wood which is native to the Caribbean), along with the smoke from the charcoal underneath the wood. The flavor is very unique! The jerk chicken at Scotchie’s isn’t marinated with spicy sauce or anything (even though it traditionally is). But you can get the sauce on the side and use it if you want. It is quite spicy, though! As for the chicken itself, the meat is SO tender, you’ll be amazed. They have a number of side dishes to choose from as well. Make sure you try the Jamaican festival! It’s very similar to cornbread, except not as soft in texture. It tastes GREAT with ketchup, by the way. Prices here are more than reasonable, so stock up if you want! I definitely should have…

I highly recommend getting the dark meat (they give you a choice when you order). Sure, it might be not as healthy, but you probably won’t be back in Jamaica anytime soon, so why not try the best part? It’s totally worth it.

XOXO,