When I go to the supermarket I turn into a bit of a ranter when I get to a particular stand. The roast chicken stand. I love the smell of barbecued chicken but when my greedy hand reaches to get one lured by that intoxicating aroma, it repels back quickly. The chickens that we now get in one particular supermarket chain are tiny, and I’m convinced that they’re a strange breed between chicken and spatchcock. It’s probably just the smaller chickens that don’t make the grade but when I pick up these sad and sorry specimens and the whole thing just ends up being a bit of meat and a large cavity with a large amount of stuffing I’m annoyed. Try it next time you visit a supermarket (you know the one of the big two chains here) – if you lift up a regular sized chicken it will be light as a feather.
When we made this pomegranate chicken using a free range bird from a lovely Surry Hills butcher a while back, Mr NQN and I both marvelled at how much meat there was on the chicken. We got three meals out of one chicken whereas a supermarket roasted bird would net you one dinner and that was it. After that, I vowed to get my chickens from Terry or if I couldn’t I’d buy my own and bypass that mini chicken stand (and don’t get me started on other downsized items 
).
If you know me, you’ll know I don’t like to make the same dish twice and after surveying the contents of my fridge and pantry I saw that I had an unused packet of Herbies Jamaican Jerk seasoning from an event a while back and some gorgeous limes so I decided to use those for my seasoning. The first time I heard of “Jamaican Jerk” I laughed at the name (I was young and that kind of thing was amusing). Jamaican Jerk seasoning is said to be native to Jamaica where chicken or pork is rubbed with a hot spice mix which includes allspice, chilli, ginger, pepper and thyme and it was also a way of preserving meat.
Looks more like a Glastonbury Festival chicken no?
I haven’t quite followed the traditional method of smoking it, simply just using the flavourings of it but the spice mix is gorgeous when mixed with rum and lime. A warning though as it is hot, but it’s a heat that you don’t feel until later. Certainly you may find yourself munching away happily on some chicken only to realise several mouthfuls later that it is very hot indeed. So with that warning dispensed I should temper it with the fact that it is not anything like eating a hot birds eye chilli straight. It’s a heat that lingers on the back of your tongue momentarily. Until you can wait no longer and eat your next mouthful.
So tell me Dear Reader, what topic do you have a bit of a rant on? People cutting in queues? Armrest hogs?
Jamaican Jerk, Rum & Lime Chicken
An Original Recipe by Not Quite Nigella
Serves 4
- 1 large chicken (approximately 1.5 kilos/3 pounds preferably free range)
- salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons rum
- 1 lime
- 1 head garlic, broken up but with skin still on cloves
- 500grams potatoes, cut into pieces
- 2 tablespoons oil
1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Wash and dry chicken and season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a bowl, mix the Jamaican Jerk seasoning and the rum to make a paste. Coat the chicken with the jerk paste. Place in a baking dish and sprinkle garlic cloves and potatoes around it. Slice lime and place slices on top of chicken.
2. Bake for 50 minutes and then take out of oven. Add 2/3 of a cup of water to the pan juices. Turn potatoes over and place back in the oven for another 40 minutes. It takes about 30 minutes to roast 500grams or 1 pound of chicken so adjust accordingly. It is cooked when you cut the drumstick away from the thigh and the juices run clear.
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69 Comments | Add your own
Hmmm….that looks delicious. I don’t have that Herbie’s mix, might need another visit to Rozelle..
Agree completely with you on the free range chickens. I’d love to be able to afford organic, but they’re just too expensive (and as someone once pointed out to me, organic doesn’t necessarily mean free range!).
Oh I love this! I’m always looking for new chicken recipes and this one looks really yummy! Thanks Lorraine!
Um. Like. YUMMMMM!!!!!!
That is one gorgeous chicken! I’m with you on not making the same meal twice… too many things to make, and life’s too short
Absolutely GORGEOUS chicken!!!
The recipes for the Jamaican jerk seasoning mix are usually closely guarded secrets so would be interested to see what you would think of using if you had to make the seasoning from scratch. Your version looks lovely though.
What a gorgeous caramelisation on the skin. The looks much better than the supermarket chain chickens.
This chicken looks gorgeous, I love how I can look at the before and after photos and see how 3 out of the 4 limes have stayed stuck to the chicken but 1 fell off. The chickens roasted in UK supermarkets would blow away in the wind too.
I could rant about all sorts of things but off the top of my head, MUMMY TYPES who frown upon feeding their kids crisps and sweets really bug me. I mean, how do they bribe them to do anything?!
This chicken looks amazing!!! Beautiful photos as well!
This chicken has all the wonderful properties I want: color, flavor and Reggae
All the best,
Gera
This chicken definitely looks meatier than the normal chickens I usually buy…I’ll have to pick up a free-range chicken! (I bet it tastes better too!) Jamaican Jerk seasoning is delicious and you’re right, Lorraine, it’s the kind of heat that sneaks up on your palate!
Probably something i could only manage a tiny slice of…
Great recipe Lorraine! I know what you mean about the size of those chickens from that particular supermarket. I remember they used to feed a family of 4 with leftovers – now we are lucky to feed two!!
That chicken would win a beauty contest!
My rant? People who can’t put away their iPhones or Blackberry or other gizmos while at the dinner table. Come on, people, just eat and be with your friends for a quiet, gadget-free dinner for once.
Lorraine
I was just thinking BBQ chicken from Coles tonight myself. I will go after work and test lift a few and consider their weight.
The plan is to buy the chicken and use some of the meat for a pasta bake tonight and have leftovers for sandwiches for tomorrow.
I am impressed regarding your not cooking the same recipe twice. That’s pioneering spirit.
Have a lovely weekend.
SSG xxx
Free range chooks all the way for me, there’s no comparison on flavour . I saw a doc. on tv on this very subject and the results proved that there was a vast difference in the nutrition of a free range as opposed to a mass produced caged bird, let alone the colour of the flesh and ultimately the flavour.
As for size, that may be a personal choice for some.eg. my husband won’t eat huge chickens, ( he calls them broilers and refers to their drumsticks as “cricket bats” ) Lol. So , when choosing my free range chicken , I opt for the smaller sizes.
Love the combination of the Jamaican Jerk spice mix, is it readily available Lorraine?
My main rant is , I can’t comprehend nor do I tolerate people that go through life making it difficult or being rude to others for no apparent reason.We are all only here for a short while and should make the most of it!
It’s not just in the supermarket chains that the roast chook has gotten smaller.There are about 3 local roast chicken joints down the road from me that have down sized theirs.I’ve stopped buying them from anywhere.With a family of 4 these small birds feed 2 people.
I love a really good roast chicken – there’s nothing that beats it, and this one looks like it’s absolutely packed with flavour, and good hot or cold! The Ultimate food!
The thing that peeves me the most is people who cut in lines. Definitely. I am all about the “wait your turn!!”. That’s why I love those ticket systems they have in delis so much. Anal and potentially a little sad but oh so true.
I get shopping aisle rage. You know the ones. They park their trolley right down the middle or stand 2 abreast & talk to friends. Is it so hard to be considerate of other shoppers??? OH!!! THAT FELT GOOD.
Here in Florida where I live , we do not have free range chickens. But when I can find one I will try that recipe as long as my daughter is not home, she can’t take the heat of any spice.
In the words of Homer Simpson, and I quote “Glllaaaarrrgghhh! *drools*”
Oh golly, I know that there are certain things I always rant about, but my jetlag is making me draw a blank… which means I could pretend I’m a very calm, laidback person?
Oh, I know. I absolutely CAN’T STAND and will rant about ignorant young girls saying that they “hate feminism” and wouldn’t be caught dead being associated with it. Um, I’m sorry, but if it weren’t for self-described feminists, you lot wouldn’t even be at school/university/allowed to speak your mind. Urgh.
See? Ranting
P.S. I adore jerk seasoning, though mostly I’ve only had it as a flavouring on potato chips in the US
You should definitely try doing it on the bbq, the smoky flavour of the coals really adds something, I promise. You can trust me – Jerk seasoning is a favourite in my household. I am British Jamaican, so it’s in the blood, but Hubby is Greek-Australian and he’s ADDICTED! We get the seasoning in massive tubs from London and have jerk “something” (chicken, lamb, fish) about once a week…!
Girl, you do know how to dress a chicken… what a superb recipe and I do love that photo… the jammy jerk on the skin… I just want to grab a bite!!!
I don’t know why I never thought of jerking a “WHOLE” chicken. And, for us the hotter,the better. Just wash down with mojitos. Over here in the states, I also find the grocery store chickens strange and pathetic.
What a fabulous bird – and who can resist the addition of rum?
My rant is about the fruit from those same two supermarkets , after one or two days its all soft and bruised . Your chicken looks wonderful , I love chicken and I will try this recipe .
I made a lime chicken this week too! It’s lime time!!
I want to go buy a chicken and cook this right now. It looks so good!
Sticking with the supermarket theme for ranting; I can not stand it when you’re in line at the register being served and the person behind you feels the need to stand right up your bum! If I can feel you breathing on me then yes, you are far too close for comfort. Pushing me along won’t make my EFTPOS transaction process any faster!
The last time I attempted to make something jerked (I really had to think about the phrasing right there to keep it PG)it was eh. Too salty and not enough spice.
My rant is people who will only try food once then write it off for good. There are so many reasons they might not have liked it. I try bananas a few times a year just to make sure I still don’t like them. And when people butter their bread all at once(they stab the poor bread trying to spread butter instead of breaking off a bite sized piece.)
After having worked at a certain large, ‘fresh’ chain as a teenager, pretty much everything about it annoys me. The chickens are tiny (I swear they kill them when they’re young so they don’t have to feed them for longer) and the fruit is up to 2 years old, no joke. Also they give the best fruit to the higher socio-economic status suburb stores.
Your chicken, on the other hand, makes me happy looking at it and imagining it in my mouth
I always feel a little cheated when I buy a whole cooked chicken. It is so much better to cook it yourself. Is it just me or does your chook have a lot of junk in her truck. Ehehe thats what I love about free range. You know what you are getting was a happy bird.
Rants … where to start? I also hate the tiny supermarket roast chickens. It’s much better roasting them myself!
Also hate people who push in, and people who take whole trollies through the 12 items or less aisles. One or two extra things are okay, but some people really push the boundaries.
The big chain chooks are always the last resort for me if the local chicken shop has run out, mini chickies indeed.
That chicken look finger licken Lorraine, yum.
I’ve never actually realised the problem with those large supermarket chain roast chickens till now. I think I might very well have a complex next time in there hahahaah!
people cutting in queues are THE worst. especially if they are pushy and not nice about it… hmph!! i’d never heard of jamaican jerk til now, sounds really interesting!
I understand everyone’s annoyance over getting less chicken for their buck (I too am annoyed at the big companies repackaging things smaller while charging the same price) but personally I’m rather relieved that the chickens have gone down in size, the reason being I believe they were bred unhealthily oversized in the first place. And while I also enjoy a leftover chicken sandwich the day after, more often than not, I’m throwing out leftover chicken as I get bored easily and don’t want to eat the same meat more than twice in a row! Love the recipe though!
And I thought me eating half a chicken was just greed! Thank you NQN, you’ve confirmed that they ARE getting smaller, hehe! Being a rather fast walker, I get pedestrian-rage at anyone strolling along as if they had nothing else to do all day, particlular if there are two or more people who insist on walking side by side…argh! Pull over to one side people if you wanna chat, some of us have places to go!
Mmmmh, look at all that glorious unctious goo in the bottom of the pan!
I suspect you’re right about it being chickens that were too small to make the grade, I know ours appear a bit Lilliputian, especially compared with a good organic free range bird.
This looks delicious! I’m gonna have to find me some Jamaican jerk seasoning
I’ve given you the Happy 101 Blog award too: http://365daysdonnaclarisse.blogspot.com/2010/04/happy-blog-award.html
what a beautiful bird, both before it got all nicely charred and after!
as far as peeves go, line cutters should be drug out into the street and shot. the end.
Beautiful chicken and just check out the size of that ass! Gosh i’m so hungry with nothing to eat except cereal. You do this to me always. Get me hungry and leave me with nothing but fabulous pictures..
Terry the Butcher is now happily esconced at Paddington Fresh on Oxford St
That’s so true about roasted chickens at the grocery store–they’re tiny! I love the flavors in your jamaican jerk chicken. The lime and rum are great additions!
Love your recipes!! Posting you up today on my blog! Sending a little Link Love!
What a gorgeous looking roasted chicken… I can smell it all the way here….
I agree with you 100%. Seems that we are getting lead by the industrial movement, we are forgetting how to live decently, eat healthy in a quiet moderate life… to be honest… I wish time will go back 100 years or more. To remind us, how happy and content that generation was… Caring about each others, helping and supporting each other, living healthier life, each will have his own little house, with a barn and some animals in the backyard running around freely. What did innovation do to us and the human race? Brought us war, misery, unhappy families, and a destroyed culture.
wow is it just me or does the seasoned raw chicken look good enough to eat already!!??!
I totally agree with you on the supermarket chickens; they should be fined for selling such horrors. anyway, your chicken looks dramatically beautiful and thank you for including a whole head of garlic now I know I will be happy eating that bird!
I love the rotissere chickens at the store. I could eat one every day. I’m so primal–I love to just rip off the meat with my hands.
I am going to google the Jamaican jerk seasoning and see where I can pick some up, as it sounds right up my alley. I’m looking forward to trying out this fabulous original recipe!
My annoyance is people who walk incredibly slowly in front of me and just kind of wander aimlessly. I find this always happen when it is hard to get around the person, of course!
I love the Jamaican ‘Jerk’ Chicken photos. It looks really mouth watering I can see myself helping myself to a piece.
I love great new chicken recipes! I’ll give this one a try!
I couldn’t agree more about the chicken thing! I found a wonderful recipe which called for poussin – tried it out and invited friends round. When I retured to to the shop they had spatchcock instead which I always thought was either a way to cut birds ie ‘to spatchcock’ or some strongly-flavoured game bird that they have in Scotland like grouse that only bites the dust on certain days of the year. A strong flavour would have ruined the recipe but it all worked out – it was Michel Roux recipe after all –and the next week they reverted to poussin.
Now I only buy free-range Macro chickens, by which I mean the brand, not humungous chickens ..
I still buy poussin for the Michel Roux recipe, by the way ..,
My local Coles recently started including Mt Barker chickens with their normal roast chickens, so I can now buy supermarket chickens if I’m in need of some quick roast chook, and still get it free range, hooray!
There are many things I enjoy ranting about, but one that immediately comes to mind as I’ve just witness it are people who don’t acknowledge when you’ve done them a favour such as holding the door for them, or letting them cut in front of you in the traffic. A simple courtesy wave or thank you keeps the good deeds a-flowin!
omg LLL!!! m sooo loving this jamaikan chicken!! drooling alreadyyy!!! yummmmmmmmmmm
Ur Jamaican Jerk Chicken looks so scrumptious, that first pic talks to me (subliminal msg!)”come here bite me”…hehehehe
I find Red Rooster chicken small too, I still remember when the quarter hardly fits inside the box…
I love the chicken,….but then I love anything Jerk. Superb
Jamaican Jerk is a funny name, but it sounds like a lovely spicy seasoning. Rum and lime sound like a fitting accompaniment.
The roast chicken that mum buys from one of the big chains doesn’t seem too bad, have you tried them from both stores? I prefer one over the other but nothing beats the real deal charcoal chickens =)
I rant on and on about the morans who are licensed to drive on our roads… there are too many of them!
Having a Caribbean hubby means having Jerk Pork, Chicken, Fish in my regular cooking repertoire. I never use the dried jerk seasoning mixture as I always make my own wet marinade. Would you mind sharing the dry Jerk seasoning’s ingredient?
You know what, I’ve never tried jamaican jerk seasoning… it sounds and looks amazing though. Nothing like a bit of heat to give food a nice kick.
I always rant at rude people, it truly it one of my pet peeves!
Limey goodness. I do prefer getting chicken from my chicken man for sure. I can’t remember the last time I bought chicken from a supermarket
I’ve always wanted to cook a whole chicken..
this recipe looks like a great start! yummy!! rum!
Hi Celia -Thankyou! You might be able to get it from other large stores
Yes you need to choose carefully as well as on what you can afford 
Hi Maria -You’re welcome! I hope that you like it!
Hi oakley -hehe thankyou!
Hi Julie-Thankyou!
I know, so many new flavours out there! 
Hi Gourmet Chick-I’ve seen a few different kinds and from the ones I’ve tasted, they’re quite similar. Thanks!
Hi Mark-Thankyou so much!
Hi Sarah-Thanks!
hehe yes I was glad to see that they were still stuck there! 
Hehe that is so true! One needs a bribe food!
Hi Mama Holli-Thanks very much!
HI Gera-Haha well said!
Hi Faith-Yes I was amazed at how heavy they are! I guess walking around helps! I was so surprised as I expected it to be more prominent at the beginning and
then it totally snuck up on me!
Hi Fiona-why is that?
Hi Lisa-Thankyou!
I know, I thought I was losing my mind 
Hi Carolyn-aww shucks thankyou!
Yes what is the other person supposed to do? 
Hi Sydney Shop Girl -what did you think?
Yes I can’t as I just can’t blog about it 
Thankyou-I hope you have a great one too! xxx
Hi Matilda-Ahh interesting! I can really imagine there would me. It just makes sense. You can get it through Herbies mail order and perhaps some shops with a
large selection of their herbs will stock it too. Oh yes, people like that make me wonder what exactly is wrong with them! I mean why bother?
Hi Portuguese Kitchen-Oh really! That’s no good!
Yes best roast your own I think!
Hi Sian-Thankyou! I agree, roast chicken is such great comfort food
Oh yes or queues where friends drop in and get a space-arrgh!
Hi Mary-Oh yes I get that. I saw that today! I mean can’t they see other people are sharing the aisle?
Hi Julia-Oh really? that’s a shame! Ahh yes this is spicy.
Hi elise-hehe too funny!
Hi Hannah-Oh really? they say that? Ack! So bad and so ignorant but let’s hope it’s just ignorance for them (and that they don’t truly believe that-which
would be awful). Ooh chippies? No way-yum!!
Hi Marcelle-Yes sadly we don’t have a BBQ and I couldn’t wait until we went to a friend’s house. Wow, that sounds like a wonderful tradition!
Hi deana-Thankyou so much!
Hehe I wish I could teleport you some! 
Hi Angela-I love whole chickens, I don’t know why
Yes sadly it might be a worldwide thing! 
Hi Cakelaw-Hehe I know, everything’s better with a bit of rum!
Hi tonybalone-Oh ick, that’s terrible! Thankyou so much!
Hi justJENN-hehe it sure is!
Hi Elle-Thankyou so much!
They’re like close talkers aren’t they! hehe so true! 
Hi Deanna-haha you are hilarious!
Oh no, what a shame. Was it the jerk seasoning perhaps? Ahhh yes, trying a food jus the once doesn’t meant that it is
representative of the food.
Hi Alex-Oh that sounds awful!
2 years old? That’s very disturbing. Are they the apples? Hehe thankyou! 
Hi Katherine-Absolutely so-there’s just much meat to it. Hehe yes she does indeed!
Hi MrsDesperate-yes that can be really annoying, especially since you’re usually in a hurry when they do that too!
Hi Sara-Yes so true that! Thankyou!
Hi Brenda-hehe I just roast my own unless I’m desperate!
Hi Betty-I know, some people do it like it’s their right! Thankyou!
It’s like a different kind of spicy 
Hi Gummi Baby-really? I have heard chickens for nuggets but that was actually more bred for the fat but it doesn’t make sense for these ones to be overbred
because it just costs more in feed. Interesting, I love leftovers and think that they’re one of the best parts of a meal!
Hi Moya-Hehe yes it’s not! I thought the same.
I’m always behind those people when I’m in a hurry! 
Hi wenchie-Hehe thankyou!
Yes that’s a cute way to describe them! 
Hi Donna-Ah fantastic! I hope you like it! Thankyou so much for the award too! That’s so sweet!
Hi grace-Thankyou so much!
hehe you are so funny 
Hi diva-Thankyou and yes it’s totally fine to check out a chicken’s ass!
Sorry darling! 
Hi Reemski-Good for him!
Hi lisa-Isn’t it sad!
Thankyou so much! 
Hi Mama Holli-thankyou so much Mama Holli!
Hi Arlette-Thankyou so much Arlette!
what a great comment! I think that with innovation there’s definitely a cost 
Hi aimee-hehe you are so sweet
Hi Joumana-I know, those are some tiny chickens! Thankyou so much!
Hi Blond Duck-hehe are they bigger in Texas?
You’re hilarious!
Hi Melissa-Ahh well you cna get it ehre bu herbies as well as some imported mixes too
Yes I always get stuck behind them when I’m in a hurry! 
Hi Bree-Thankyou so much!
Hi Dina-Wonderful, I hope that you like it!
Hi alison-hehe you’re too funny! I love the comment about the grouse and yes the macro as in the brand
I’d love to know the recipe!
Hi Conor-Oh cool! I wish mine did that! I wonder if they will? Oh yes when you open a door for people and they just walk through like you should-annoying!
Hi nora-Hehe thankyou so much!
Hi cusinera-Hehe that’s great!
Oh yes I remember that! 
Hi Kitchen Butterfly-hehe yes I must try other things!
Hi Arwen-it is isn’t it!
thankyou! 
Hi angie-yes one of the chains isn’t too bad but the other one’s regular chickens are woeful. hehe yes as an L driver I can say that I am not the worst
driver out there!
Hi Tuty-Oooh how fantastic! I’ve just got what’s on the packet (ratios aren’t given) but it has allspice, chilli, ginger, pepper and thyme
Hi Su-yin-It’s quite unusual but really good!
Yes I liked it as it was a different type of heat to what I’m used to. Yes rude people are SO annoying! 
Hi penny-Sounds like an excellent way of doing things!
Hi oxy*jen-Thankyou so much! I hope you like it!
I’m afraid I’m a bit spoiled by the huge roasted chickens we can by at the warehouse stores. But this version looks so much tastier than anything I could buy.
Lately my biggest rant has been about all the crazy right wing people in our country.
Walkerswood is my favourite Jamaican jerk rub but it’s not at all difficult to make your own rub from scratch. Darn that looks good Lorraine. Jerk is great on fish and pork as well and in rice – can you tell I’m addicted to the stuff
As I was reading this I couldn’t get the image of Ainsley Harriot making a jerk dish and holding up little scotch bonnet peppers out of my head.
Supermarket rant? The check out operators who think just because you have your own green bags they can fill it full – all the tins/jars, flour and 2L of milk in 1 bag. Grrr. I mean, if they can hardly move the bag from where they packed it to where I have to pick it up to put in the trolley, how do they expect me to carry it from the car home????
(ok, time to chill now…)
Discovered Jerk seasoning while holidaying in Jamaica with my husband…we feel in love with it even buying some to bring home! yum!
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