Jerk Chicken Wings with Hot Honey

We’re sharing our recipe for Jerk Chicken Wings, made with homemade jerk seasoning and drizzled with hot honey sauce.

If you love Jamaican cooking, specifically Jerk chicken, you may not be aware of its history.

We are diving into the roots of this popular Jamaican dish, how it came about, and how you can prepare it in the comfort of your home. 

Jerk Chicken Wings with Hot Honey

The Jerk cooking tradition is rooted in Jamaica, where enslaved Africans fused their culinary techniques with the indigenous Carib and Arawak Taino people.

Jerk seasoning blends bird peppers, allspice, and salt and can be applied as a dry rub or marinade.

Historically, people preserved meats using a smokeless, underground cooking method.

However, Jerk has evolved to include a variety of spices and flavors.

The African cooking method known as “Babbake,” which refers to grilling, toasting, and cooking over an open fire in the Hausa language, is the precursor to modern barbecue.

This cooking style underpins the four American barbecue regions: Carolina, Kansas, Memphis, and Texas. Today, Jerk cooking is often associated with grilling and is enjoyed by people worldwide.

Check out these recipes featuring this specific cooking method: Brisket Burnt Ends | Dibi Lamb

When I think of the jerk cooking tradition, I immediately think of Jamaican cooking.

But the Jerk cooking technique has deeper roots; here’s what I discovered.

Yes, jerk cooking has African origins, but there is more. 

Self-liberated enslaved people on the Caribbean island of Jamaica learned the cooking technique known as ‘jerk’  from the indigenous native population, the Taino Arawak.

The ingredients were simple and typically included meat (pork or chicken), bird peppers, allspice, and salt.

Traditional cooking methods called for seasoning the meat and wrapping it in elder pepper leaves.

It was then cooked in an underground smokeless pit for several hours using a combination of low-burning coals and fresh green pimento wood, also known locally as sweetwood.

This cooking method not only added a smoky flavor to the meat but also served as a way to preserve it for later consumption.

As the technique spread, enslaved Africans on the island adopted it and added their spices and seasonings to the mix.

Jerk cooking has become synonymous with Jamaican cuisine, but it has also influenced the cooking of other Caribbean islands such as the Bahamas, Haiti, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Nowadays, Jerk is often cooked on a grill or in a special oven, but traditional pit cooking is still done on occasion for special events and festivals.

Jerk Chicken is one of the most iconic dishes in jerk cooking, which has become popular worldwide.

The chicken is marinated in a spice blend, then grilled to perfection. The seasoning is often spicy and blends sweet and savory flavors.

But if you don’t have or own a grill, no worries; you can make our Jerk Chicken Wings in a traditional oven or air fryer. 

What You Need To Make Our Jerk Chicken Wings: 

Chicken Wings. I used 30 whole chicken wings, but you can also use drummies, chicken drumsticks, or thighs. 

Onions, Green Onions, Garlic & Scotch Bonnet Peppers. For a jerk flavor base, this is pretty much par for the course. In the summer, I grew Scotch Bonnet peppers, but in January. I found myself fresh out, and local grocery stores didn’t have any, so I used habanero peppers, a close cousin and a popular stand-in ingredient when you can’t source the traditional Scotch Bonnet pepper. 

Allspice, Coarse Black Peppercorns, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, & Dried Thyme. This is the traditional seasoning base for Jerk cooking. I have also seen additional seasonings like ground white pepper or Chinese Five-Spice seasoning. 

Dark Brown Sugar, Sea Salt & Soy Sauce. Dark brown sugar adds sweetness and a dark color, a characteristic of Jerk seasoning. Soy sauce adds complexity and umami flavor, and like dark brown sugar, soy sauce gives the Jerk seasoning its dark color. Sea salt helps balance the sweetness and brings out the food’s overall flavor. 

Olive Oil & Fresh Lime Juice. When preparing a marinade for meat, it is essential to include oil because it helps the seasoning penetrate the meat more effectively. Fresh lime juice not only tenderizes the meat but also adds a burst of flavor to the final dish. The oil also balances out the acidic flavors of the soy sauce and fresh lime juice. Additionally, the oil helps to keep the meat moist during cooking.

Grab the Hot Honey Recipe we used here!

Other popular meats that are used:

• Chicken
• Pork
• Goat
• Lamb
• Seafood

Jerk Pork is also a popular dish and is often served with a side of festival dumplings, which are fried dough similar to a doughnut.

But Jerk cooking isn’t limited to just meat; it’s also used to flavor fish, vegetables, and even tofu.

Jerk seasoning is also used as a marinade, a dry rub, or a sauce.

Jamaican Jerk is a staple in Caribbean cuisine, which is why it has become a famous export. It’s a big part of the island’s culinary heritage, and it should be celebrated.

What to serve with jerk-seasoned meats:

• Coleslaw
• Mango Salsa
• Potato Salad
• Rice & Peas
• Plantain Chips

In conclusion, Jerk cooking is a tradition with deep roots in Caribbean cuisine.

It has African, Native, and colonial influences.

It combines spices and seasonings to create a unique and delicious flavor. Jerk cooking isn’t limited to meat; you can use it to flavor fish, vegetables, and even tofu.

It has spread across the Caribbean and has become a famous export. It’s a culinary tradition worth celebrating and sharing.

Jerk Chicken Seasoning Recipe

• 3-4 pounds of chicken wings
• 1 cup of onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh scallions/green onions
• 2-3 Scotch bonnet chile peppers or habanero peppers
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp allspice
• 1 tbsp coarse black peppercorns
• 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tbsp dried thyme
• 2 tbsp light or dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp + tsp sea salt or kosher salt
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp of olive oil, canola, or vegetable oil
• Juice of 2 limes 

*For best results, prepare the marinade the day before; if used as a marinade, brush all over the meat and marinate for 12 to 24 hours. 

Directions for cooking chicken wings with jerk seasoning

1. In a blender, add the ingredients and blend thoroughly. Pat dry, arrange the chicken wings in a large bowl, and pour the marinade over the chicken. Move the pieces around using your hand or a pair of tongs to ensure all the chicken is evenly coated. 
2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. 
3. The next day, allow the marinated chicken to come to room temperature and arrange the wings on a wire rack. 
4. Before cooking, add a little more salt, smoked paprika, or allspice.
5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, place the chicken on the center rack, and cook for 45 minutes or until the skin is golden brown with a rich, darker color. 
6. Serve with hot honey. 

What is Jamaican jerk chicken?