Best Jerk Chicken

Are you looking for a new and exciting way to elevate your dinner game? Introducing our delicious and easy-to-make Jerk Chicken recipe! It’s packed with a mouth-watering blend of savory, sweet and spicy flavors that will leave you wanting more.

With just a sheet pan, chicken thighs and a few pantry staples, you can create this Caribbean-inspired dish in no time. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or a summer cookout, it’s sure to be a hit with your family and friends. Serve it with a side of rice and a squeeze of fresh lime juice for a truly mouth-watering experience. Get ready to spice up your dinner routine with this irresistible chicken recipe!

Jerk Chicken is part of our Back-To-School Lifesavers — a series of recipes that are intended to have little (or no) veggie chopping, minimal prep time, around 10 ingredients or less (not including pantry staples), and use kid-friendly ingredients. Click here to see all the recipes in the series!

What Is Jerk Chicken?

Jerk Chicken is a traditional Caribbean dish that originated in Jamaica. It is made by marinating or rubbing chicken with a spice mixture (called jerk seasoning) that typically includes a blend of spices such as allspice, thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chili peppers. 

Jerk Chicken is known for its unique combination of flavors, which include a balance of heat, sweetness, and spice. The end result is tender and juicy chicken with a deep, complex flavor profile. It is a popular street food and traditional meal in Jamaica, and it’s also commonly served in Caribbean and Caribbean-inspired restaurants around the world.

Jerk Chicken Tips

• Don’t forget to line the pan with foil. The cleanup without foil is brutal!
• Space chicken pieces out on the pan with plenty of room. (They shouldn’t be bunched or folded.)
• Adjust seasoning with larger batches. If you want to double (or triple) the recipe, don’t forget to increase the salt and pepper too! Bake time will also increase with more meat on the pan.
• Make sure to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe.
• For the best flavor, use fresh spices.
• If you want to add a bit more heat to the recipe, feel free to add more cayenne pepper. Not a fan of heat? Leave out the cayenne pepper (but keep in mind you will be losing out on some flavor!)
• When rubbing the seasoning mixture onto the chicken, make sure to cover all sides and use all of the mixture.
• Keep an eye on the chicken while it’s broiling. Cooking times may vary, depending on the size of the chicken thighs and your oven.
• Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to redistribute.

How to Make Jerk Chicken:

• In a small bowl, mix together the spices, olive oil, and soy sauce to create the seasoning mixture.
• Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and then coat them evenly with the seasoning mixture.
• Cook the chicken using one of the following methods:
  • Oven: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large sheet pan with foil. Place the chicken thighs on the pan, spacing them out to ensure they have plenty of room. Bake for 15 minutes; then switch the oven to broil and cook for an additional 6-10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and has a nice blackening and caramelization.
  • Grill: Preheat the grill to medium high (450 degrees F). Add the seasoned chicken to a clean and well-greased grill, placing it flat on the grates. Close the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until the chicken is nicely caramelized and cooked through.
  • Cast-iron skillet:(If using boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut them in half widthwise to make four pieces. Use a meat mallet or frying pan to pound each piece to an even thickness.) Rub the seasoning mixture all over the chicken pieces. Heat a large, heavy-bottom skillet over high heat; then add a drizzle of oil. Add the chicken pieces in one layer and cook for 2-4 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate to rest.

What To Serve With Jerk Chicken

There are many different sides that can complement Jerk Chicken nicely. Here are a few popular options:

• Rice: Jerk Chicken is often served with rice, either plain white rice or a more flavorful version such as Jamaican rice and peas or coconut rice.
• Plantains: Fried or grilled plantains are a popular side dish that can be served on the side for a sweet and savory balance.
• Slaw: A fresh and crunchy slaw made with cabbage, carrots, and a tangy dressing can provide a nice contrast to the spicy chicken.
• Salad: A simple mixed green salad with a light vinaigrette or citrus dressing can help cut the heat of the chicken and add some freshness to the meal.
• Grilled or roasted vegetables: Grilled or roasted vegetables like bell peppers, onions, and zucchini make a nice side dish to Jerk Chicken and add some color to the plate.
• Corn on the cob: Corn on the cob is another popular option. Grill it or boil.
• Mango salsa: A mango salsa is a great way to balance the heat of the Jerk Chicken, as well as adding a sweet, fruity flavor to the dish.

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Jerk Chicken

5 from 2 votes

- Review this recipe

Introducing our delicious and easy-to-make Jerk Chicken recipe! It's packed with a mouthwatering blend of savory, sweet and spicy flavors that will leave you wanting more.

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

Jerk Chicken

5 from 2 votes

- Review this recipe

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

Introducing our delicious and easy-to-make Jerk Chicken recipe! It's packed with a mouthwatering blend of savory, sweet and spicy flavors that will leave you wanting more.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Healthy, Jamaican

Keyword Jerk Chicken

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 23 minutes minutes

Total Time 38 minutes minutes

Servings 2 servings

Chelsea Lords

Calories 336kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $8.92

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (3 thighs) (Note 1) or boneless, skinless breasts
• ▢ 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ▢ 2 teaspoons regular (not lite) soy sauce
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon of each: garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, paprika light brown sugar
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, optional
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon each: ground cinnamon and nutmeg
• ▢ Fine sea salt & pepper
• ▢ For serving: lots of fresh lime juice and cooked rice

US - Metric

USMetric

Instructions

• PREP: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. To grill chicken, read note 2 for preheating grill.

  Line a large sheet pan with foil. (Don't skip the foil, or clean-up will be rough!)
• SEASONING MIX: In a small bowl combine the olive oil, soy sauce, and all the seasonings. Season to taste with salt & pepper. (I add 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper). Whisk to combine.
  
• RUB MIX ON THIGHS: Pat thighs dry with paper towel then, use your hands to rub the mixture all over each thigh(both sides) to evenly cover all of the meat. You should use every bit of the seasoning mix.
  
• BAKE: Place chicken (laid out flat; not bunched together) on the prepared sheet pan, spacing out pieces so they have plenty of room. Bake for 15 minutes and then remove the pan from the oven.
• BROIL: Move the oven rack to about 8 inches from the heat source and switch heat to broil. No need to wait; immediately place the tray back in the oven and broil for 6-10 minutes or until you've see nice blackening and caramelization. (Interior should be 160 degrees F; carryover heat will take it to 165.) Eight minutes for 5.5 oz thighs is perfect in my oven.
• ENJOY: Remove pan and let stand for 5 minutes (uncovered) to rest. Transfer to a cutting board and dice or thinly slice. Serve over rice and drizzle lots of fresh lime on top (a must!) Enjoy!
  

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Chicken:

• The recipe is intended for chicken thighs; each one about 5-5.5 ounces. (So 3 chicken thighs total for this recipe.) If there is a lot of excess fat, trim it off. We like to buy organic/grass-fed chicken. IMO, the thighs taste better, are more equivalent in size, and usually have less fat and gristle. This recipe doubles and triples well, but note that bake time can be longer.
• If you want to use chicken breasts, you'll need about 2 large boneless, skinless breasts (1 pound total). Here's how to prepare blackened chicken breasts. (Don't follow the baking instructions above; it's meant for thighs and will result in dry chicken breasts)
  • How to cook breasts in a skillet: Cut chicken breasts in half widthwise to make four thinner pieces. Use a meat mallet/frying pan/your fist to give each piece a quick pound. (Don't flatten chicken; we just want all the pieces fairly even in thickness.) Rub seasoning all over the pieces, making sure to use all the seasoning mix. Add a drizzle of oil to a large heavy-bottom skillet. Heat on high heat and once the skillet is heated, add the chicken pieces in one layer. Cook for about 2-4 minutes per side or until cooked through (thermometer registers 160 degrees/juices run clear); remove to a plate. Tent with foil and set aside to rest for 5 minutes.

Note 2: Grilling: Follow the preparation instructions above, and here's how to grill the meat (thighs or breasts will work great on the grill):

• How to grill breasts or thighs: Preheat the grill to medium-high (450 degrees F.) Add seasoned chicken to a clean, well-greased grill, placing it flat (not bunched up) on the grates. Close the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes or until nicely caramelized. Use a sharp metal turner to scrape up and flip the chicken to the other side. Close the grill and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until the chicken registers 160 degrees F. (Timing will vary based on the size of the chicken and the actual heat of the grill.) Remove to a plate and cover loosely with foil to rest for 5 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 336kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 537mg | Potassium: 574mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 108IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 2mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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