Caribbean Jerk Chicken

Caribbean jerk chicken is a one pan meal flavored with exotic spices, herbs and citrus flair. Make this quick and easy Jamaican chicken recipe for the perfect midweek meal!

Some people are beginning to feel safe enough to travel again, which is great, but not everyone feels the same way. If you’re not quite ready to hop on a plane to the Caribbean, that’s okay! You can simply cook up this quick Jamaican chicken recipe, then sit down to a delicious Caribbean meal at home instead!

What is jerk?

Jerk is a style of cooking native to Jamaica, but popular in countries throughout the caribbean. In jerk-style cooking, the meat first marinates in either a wet marinade or a dry rub. The marinade is very spicy, but the addition of citrus juice helps to balance the flavors.

Authentic Jamaican jerk flavors are big and bold! If jerk seasoning had a personality, you wouldn’t find it sitting alone in a corner waiting to be noticed.
The flavor is extroverted and spicy, but not in an overpowering way, with a hint of sweetness from tropical citrus fruits. Depending on the recipe, jerk dishes can have spicy, sweet and sour notes, all in one bite.

What does Caribbean jerk chicken taste like?

My version of Caribbean jerk chicken delivers the authentic sweet and spicy flavors, but in a milder way. The chicken is perfectly tender and juicy, and because we use boneless skinless chicken breast, it’s a healthy meal, too!

As mentioned above, authentic jerk dishes are much spicier than this chicken dish. If you like super spicy Caribbean food, make my Jamaican jerk pork ribs. I use a thick, paste-like rub that includes scotch bonnet peppers, so you’ll definitely feel the heat!

That isn’t the case for this Caribbean jerk chicken recipe, though. With savory aromatic herbs and spices, plus citrus for the marinade, it’s a comforting dish with noticeable island flavor.

Ingredients

Jerk seasoning

Brown rice

In this dish, white rice gets substituted with healthy long grain brown rice. Brown rice is actually white rice that has not been stripped of its nutrients. Two of those nutrients are fiber and magnesium, both of which have been shown to help regulate blood sugar. As a result, replacing white rice with brown can reduce your risk of diabetes by up to 16%. (source)

If you aren’t a fan of rice, you can substitute it with a healthy grain like barley, farro, or even quinoa.

Marinating the chicken

This recipe for Caribbean jerk chicken marinade is super simple to make; it’s just a combination of dry jerk seasoning and orange juice. If you’re able to use freshly squeezed orange juice, do so; the flavor of fresh juice is always the best.

After removing the chicken from the marinade, shake off any excess, then immediately discard the used marinade.
It contains bacteria from the raw chicken, so it is not safe to eat or to use as a marinade again.

Jerk Chicken Recipe Video

Watch the video in the recipe card below to see the entire cooking process from start to finish!

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Caribbean Chicken Recipes

If you love tropical island flavors, be sure to try this pineapple chicken recipe and make this Baked mango BBQ chicken, too!

Caribbean Jerk Chicken + Video

Caribbean jerk chicken is a one pan meal with homemade jerk seasoning and citrus flavor. Make this easy Jamaican chicken recipe for dinner!

5 from 6 votes

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Course: Dinners

Cuisine: Jamaican, Melting Pot

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Marinating Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 525kcal

Author: Kevin Is Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
• 2 tbsp olive oil divided
• 1/2 each green, red and yellow bell peppers diced
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 oranges sliced for garnish
• chopped cilantro to garnish

Jerk Seasoning

• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp ground thyme
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions

• In a small bowl, whisk together jerk seasoning ingredients. Place chicken in a Ziploc plastic bag or bowl and add half the spice rub and the orange juice. Massage the chicken, spices and juice inside bag or bowl. Marinate for 30-60 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Remove chicken from marinade, and discard marinade. Heat one tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat in a cast iron skillet, or any oven-safe skillet or pan. Place chicken in pan and cook until browned, then flip chicken over and cook until browned. Remove chicken from pan and set aside on plate.
• Heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil in same skillet over medium high heat. Add chopped bell peppers and onion. Sauté for a few minutes, then add brown rice and toast for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and remaining half of jerk seasoning.
• Bring to a boil and add the browned chicken thighs. Nestle the chicken on top of rice and press down slightly. Cover with lid or aluminum foil. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.
• Caramelize/brown orange slices in a dry saute pan over medium high heat. Set aside.
• Remove the lid or foil and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Check to see if all of the liquid has been absorbed. If not, continue to bake for 5 minutes, uncovered. Internal temperature of chicken needs to be 165°F.
• Remove pan from the oven, fluff the rice and serve garnished with the caramelized orange slices and chopped cilantro leaves.

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Nutrition

Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 866mg | Potassium: 851mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 287IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 3mg

Have you made this recipe? Let me know on InstagramTag @KevinIsCooking and hashtag me #keviniscooking!