Jerk Whole Roast Chicken

4.59 from 12 votes

This delicious Jerk Whole Roast Chicken is a show-stopping whole bird that comes well seasoned + marinated and glazed with a sweet-spicy maple syrup jerk sauce. Serve this whole chicken for Thanksgiving, the holidays or any weeknight will be a real treat for everyone involved. Brine + Make-ahead Option.

Prep Time25

Cook Time1 15

Total Time1 40

Course: Main Course

Keyword: chicken, dinner, easy, Jamaican, jerk, main dish, roasted, spicy, sweet, thanksgiving, weeknight meals

Servings: servings

Calories: 105kcal

Author: Shanika

Ingredients

CHICKEN:

Organic whole chicken (I used a 5-10 lb. small chicken; See Notes!)
3-4 Tbsps jerk seasoning, homemade or store-bought
¾ cup Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Marinade
2 medium carrots, peeled + chopped
1 onion, cut into quarters (You can use white, yellow, or red)
4 Tbsps unsalted butter, softened at room temp.
4-5 fresh thyme sprigs
4-5 fresh rosemary sprigs
2 scotch bonnet peppers (You can also use habanero peppers)
2 Tbsps pure maple syrup

POTATOES (OPTIONAL):

4 organic russet potatoes, chopped into cubes
2 Tbsps Extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano

MAPLE JERK GLAZE:

½ cup pure maple syrup
2 Tbsps Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Marinade

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

CLEAN + MARINADE THE CHICKEN:

In a large bowl, add your freshly cleaned + rinsed whole chicken (pat dry) along with the jerk seasoning, rubbing everything together until chicken is fully coated. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes. NOTE: For best results, it's best to marinate chicken overnight in the refrigerator stored in a tightly sealed bag. When ready, remove the bag with the chicken from the refrigerator and allow it to come at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease an oven-safe cast iron essential oven pot or roasting pan.
Once at room temperature, using your fingers, dress chicken with butter ensuring that you get directly under the skin as well, etc. followed by the maple syrup and jerk marinade, rubbing it over the tops and side of chicken. Stuff the inside of the chicken with onions, thyme, scotch bonnet peppers (optional), and rosemary sprigs----for extra flavor!

PREP THE POTATOES:

Add the chopped potatoes and carrots in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and season with seasonings (salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, oregano, basil, and parsley), tossing until fully coated. Set aside.

ASSEMBLY:

Add chicken to the prepared essential oven or dutch oven (breast side down with feet tied together with twine), along with the chopped potatoes and carrots, surrounding the chicken.
Roast chicken for 45 minutes before adding glaze.

TO MAKE THE MAPLE JERK GLAZE:

In a bowl, mix together maple syrup and jerk marinade until combined.
Halfway through, brush half of the glaze unto the chicken all over the tops and sides. Continue roasting (for another 45 minutes or so) or until chicken becomes charred and the thickest part of the chicken reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush on remaining glaze.
Once done, remove from oven and let it rest for 15-30 minutes before slicing.
Bon Appetit!

Notes

STORAGE: To store any leftovers, cut the chicken into pieces and add it to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. To reheat, add servings to an oven until
SIZE OF CHICKEN:I used a smaller whole chicken (b/n 5-10 lbs, however, if you choose to use a larger size----simply double ingredients for the marinade + glaze).
BEST COOKING TIP: I recommend cooking your chicken (regardless of size) for 20-25 minutes per pound. For much larger chickens, you can always "spatchcock" it, which flattens and opens it up for a better cook through.
MAKE AHEAD: All ingredients can be made and individually stored as meal prep, including the marinade of the chicken and assembled and heated in the oven when ready to serve.

Nutrition