This recipe presents a way to get the flavor of Jamaican jerk chicken from an indoor oven instead of an outdoor grill. The result is a juicy roast chicken with Jamaican-style flavor derived from its marinade of hop peppers, cilantro, green onions, and spices.

• Preparation: 20 minutes, plus 4 hours marinating time
• Cooking time: 85 to 90 minutes
• Makes: Four servings

For Marinade 

• 1 scotch bonnet, habanero or serrano chili pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 green onions, very thinly sliced
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

For the Chicken

• 1 chicken (3 lb./1.5 kg)
• Salt to taste
• Lime wedges for squeezing

Marinating the Chicken

1. Combine the ingredients for the marinade (listed above) in a small bowl.
2. Place the chicken in a shallow dish, breast side up with wings untucked from the body
3. Brush the outside of the chicken with the marinade, coating it all over.
4. Wrap the chicken in plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours, brushing from time to time with marinade that drips off the sides of the bird
5. Preheat oven to 375 F.
6. Remove chicken from marinade and et in shallow roasting pan, breast side up.
7. Tie legs of the chicken together with kitchen string. Fold and tuck wings back under the body.
8. Brush chicken with remaining marinade and season with salt.
9. Roast 50 minutes.
10. Baste with pan juices.
11. Roast another 25 minutes, basting with pan juices again.
12. Roast another 10 to 15 minutes, or until meat thermometer placed in the deepest part of the thigh without touching the bone reads 170 F.
13. Place roasted chicken on plate loosely tented with aluminum foil and let rest for at least 10 minutes.
14. Carve and serve with lime wedges and rice or white kidney beans.

Options: For those who do not want to chop up a hot pepper, it can be replaced with 1 teaspoon or more (to taste) of dried, crushed chili flakes. For less fiery taste, use 1 or 2 small-to-medium-sized jalapenos instead of the scotch bonnet, habanero, or serrano peppers.