Ingredients:

  • 4 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
  • 4 Scotch bonnet peppers, stems removed
  • 100g scallions, roughly chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 30g fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
  • 120ml soy sauce
  • 60ml fresh lime juice
  • 30ml vegetable oil
  • 35g dark brown sugar, packed
  • 15g ground allspice
  • 4g dried thyme
  • 2g nutmeg, freshly grated
  • 2g cinnamon
  • 6g coarse kosher salt
  • 2g freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Clean and dry chicken pieces thoroughly with paper towels. Using a sharp paring knife, pierce each piece of chicken 5–8 times to create micro-channels for the marinade to penetrate.
  2. In a food processor or high-speed blender, combine Scotch bonnets, scallions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, lime juice, vegetable oil, brown sugar, allspice, thyme, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Pulse until a thick, high-viscosity paste forms.
  3. Place chicken in a large non-reactive bowl or freezer bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken, massaging it into the skin and the pierced channels. Seal and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  4. Preheat an oven to 180°C (350°F) with a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet.
  5. Bake the chicken, until the skin is charred and mahogany-colored and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer (approximately 45 minutes).