Recipe: Jerk Chicken by Julia’s Caribbean Foods

Julia’s Homestyle American and Caribbean Foods (1002 E. 38th St., 317-924-5990, juliashomestyle.com) serves a taste of vibrant island culture near the State Fairgrounds with history-rich dishes, a New Orleans–style fish fry on Fridays, and a Caribbean DJ on Saturdays. Here, owner Julia Hayden shares her zesty jerk-chicken recipe—the most popular item on the menu.

INGREDIENTS
» ¼ cup oil
» 6 chicken leg quarters
» 4 ounces Walkerswood jerk marinade
» 1 tablespoon paprika
» Equal parts wood (cherry or apple) and charcoal, for smoking

DIRECTIONS
1. Massage oil into chicken quarters, add jerk sauce, and let chicken marinate overnight. (Use fresh marinade from the bottle
to brush the chicken if additional sauce is needed throughout grilling process.)
2. Start the grill with equal parts wood and charcoal. Let the fire die down until it has a good amount of smoke coming off of it.
3. Add paprika to the chicken and then place it skin-side-down on the grill. Cover and cook for 30 minutes on the first side, checking every 5–10 minutes to ensure the fire is not getting too high. (The chicken should be cooked by the smoke, not the flame.)
4. Flip the chicken after 30 minutes and continue to check it every 5–10 minutes.
5. Remove from grill and serve over rice and beans.