If you like Jamaican jerk chicken, then you will love these bite-sized jerk chicken wings. They are easy to make and great for parties. No need to fire up your grill as they are conveniently baked in the oven. Make them mild or as spicy as you desire!
1 to 3Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, stems removed(you may also remove the seeds to reduce some of the heat)
1tablespoonvegetable oil
1tablespoonchopped fresh thyme or ½ tablespoon dried thyme
2teaspoonsallspice berries or 1 teaspoon ground allspice
2teaspoonsground cinnamon
1 ½teaspoonskosher salt
1teaspoongrated nutmeg
1teaspoonbrown sugar
1teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
3poundssplit chicken wings
Instructions
To make the Jamaican jerk sauce, mash all the ingredients except for the wings together in a mortar and pestle until smooth, or place ingredients in a blender and puree into a thick and smooth paste. You should have about ¾ cup sauce.
Reserve ¼ cup of the jerk sauce and combine the chicken wings with the remaining ½ cup sauce to thoroughly coat. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. Arrange the chicken wings skin-side up on the pan. Bake the wings for 35 minutes until crispy and lightly browned, then remove from the oven and baste with the remaining ¼ cup jerk sauce. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
I recommend wearing food safe gloves when you stem (and potentially seed) the chile(s), and massage the Jamaican jerk sauce onto the chicken wings. These chiles are very hot and can leave residual oils on your fingers even after washing your hands.
Speaking of spice, this jerk chicken wing recipe is versatile based on your spice threshold. Use anywhere from 1 to 3 Scotch bonnet (or habanero) chile peppers. If you want it a touch less spicy, stick with 1 and be sure to remove the seeds, where most of the heat is found in chiles.
I definitely recommend marinating these wings overnight if you have the time to spare, but a few hours will still suffice.