Easy Jerk Chicken Thighs

These Easy Jerk Chicken Thighs are served seared, baked, grilled, or air fried and are a Jamaican and Caribbean favorite. This dish includes a homemade spice blend and rub with cinnamon, allspice, and more. Drizzle the chicken in a spicy jerk marinade using pineapple, lime, peppers, and ginger. 

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Jamaican Jerk Cooking

Jerk cooking is native to Jamaica. Meat is either dry-rubbed or marinated with wet ingredients (or a combination of both as I prefer in this recipe) in jerk spices. The style of cooking is popular throughout the Caribbean and West Indies. The meat is typically cooked over coals in a pit.

The main ingredients usually include scotch bonnet peppers and allspice. Scotch bonnet peppers can be really hard to find in the US, so you typically have to use a substitute. Other common ingredients include cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar or sweetener, thyme, garlic, and ginger.

Is it Spicy?

Jerk does have a kick to it. The dish is traditionally prepared using scotch bonnet peppers (often called Caribbean red peppers). They are almost impossible to find in the United States. Scotch bonnets have a heat rating of 100,000–350,000 Scoville heat units (the measurement of the heat of chili peppers), which is similar to habanero peppers, making it a close substitute.

These peppers are hotter than poblano, serrano, and cayenne peppers. If you don't like spicy dishes, feel free to modify the servings used or substitute for a pepper that is less hot. The recipe calls for 1 habanero, you can always use half, ¼th, etc.

Is it Sweet?

As written, the recipe is more middle of the road. It has a hint of sweetness from pineapple juice and 1 tablespoon of brown sweetener or sugar. If you are looking for sweet chicken, add additional brown sugar or sweetener to suit your taste.

I love to eat jerk dishes with fresh pineapple. That adds an additional touch of sweetness to the meal.

What Type of Chicken to Use

You can use bone-in chicken thighs or boneless chicken thighs for this recipe. In general, chicken thighs are really juicy especially in comparison to something like chicken breast. Bone-in thighs are juicier than boneless and usually have a longer cook time. The instructions in the recipe card below will include details for both.

How to Make Jerk Chicken Thighs

Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. Add all of the jerk spices, habanero, soy sauce, pineapple juice, lime juice, liquid smoke, and ginger to a blender or food processor. Blend until the mixture is well combined.
2. Drizzle the marinade and jerk seasoning over the chicken.
3. Sear, grill, bake, or air fry.

Do You Have to Marinate the Chicken?

Jerk chicken, shrimp, etc. is almost always marinated in advance. Marinating will allow the spices and ingredients to penetrate into the cook. This adds additional flavor and will make them juicy as well. You can marinate for up to 24 hours in advance.

If you are strapped for time, you don't have to marinate in advance, but the chicken likely won't have as much flavor if you did. When you don't allow time for the marinade to penetrate the chicken, sometimes the final product will taste like the spices are sitting on top of the chicken, as opposed to tasting like a part of it.

What to Serve with Jerk Chicken

• Instant Pot Brown Rice
• Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
• Cold Shrimp and Avocado Salad
• Vegetable Pasta Salad
• Southern Macaroni Salad
• Southern Potato Salad
• Traeger Smoked Chicken Breast

More Jerk and Blackened Recipes Recipes

Jerk Shrimp
Jerk Rub and Seasoning
Jerk Marinade
Blackened Chicken
Blackened Chicken Sandwich

How to Store Leftovers

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge tightly sealed for 3-4 days.

Reheating

I try to avoid the microwave for juicy chicken that is still crisp. I love to use the air fryer to reheat on 350 degrees until warm or I reheat the chicken on the stove.

You may also love our Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breast recipe.

Easy Jerk Chicken Thighs

Brandi Crawford

These Easy Jerk Chicken Thighs are served seared, baked, grilled, or air fried and are a Jamaican and Caribbean favorite. This dish includes a homemade spice blend and rub with cinnamon, allspice, and more. Drizzle the chicken in a spicy jerk marinade using pineapple, lime, peppers, and ginger. 

5 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course dinner, lunch

Cuisine Caribbean, Jamaican

Servings 5 servings

Calories 321 kcal

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Equipment

• Cosori Air Fryer
• Cast Iron Skillet
• Cast Iron Grill Pan
• Immersion Blender

Ingredients

  

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• 1 ½-2 pounds chicken thighs Bone-in or boneless

Jerk Seasoning and Rub (You can also use a store-bought rub)

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar or sweetener
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon dried or ground thyme
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Jerk Marinade

• 1 habanero Authentic Jerk uses scotch bonnet peppers. If you have access to these feel free to use them. Habanero is a close substitute
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce You can substitute liquid aminos or coconut aminos.
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• ¼ cup pineapple juice
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke Optional for smoky flavor

Instructions

 

• Add all of the jerk spices, habanero, soy sauce, pineapple juice, lime juice, liquid smoke, and ginger to a blender or food processor. Blend until the mixture is well combined. I typically add the ingredients to a bowl and combine using a hand immersion blender.
• Drizzle the marinade and jerk seasoning over the chicken. You can marinate the chicken in the fridge if you wish, it's optional, but yields the best results. (30 minutes to overnight)

Pan-Seared Chicken

• Heat a skillet (I use a cast iron) on medium-high heat with olive oil.
• When hot, add the chicken. For boneless chicken thighs, cook for 5 minutes and then flip and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

  For bone-in thighs use an oven-safe skillet (like a cast iron), Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Sear the chicken on each side for 4 minutes each to get the skin crispy. Once crisp, bake the chicken for 18-20 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
• Remove and cool before serving.

Air Fryer Chicken

• Add the chicken to the air fryer basket.
• Bone-in Thighs: Air fry the chicken on 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Open the air fryer and flip the chicken. Cook for an additional 10-12 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

  Boneless Thighs: Air fry the chicken on 400 degrees for 8 minutes. Open the air fryer and flip the chicken. Cook for an additional 6-7 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Video

Notes

• If you have a favorite Jerk spice blend or rub, feel free to use it. It can be hard to find one that tastes exactly like what I’m used to eating when I visit Jamaica, so I like to make my own.
• Avoid touching the marinade with your hands or wear gloves, especially if you have to touch your eyes, wear contact lenses, etc.
• Jerk does have a kick to it. The dish is traditionally prepared using scotch bonnet peppers (often called Caribbean red peppers). They are almost impossible to find in the United States. Scotch bonnets have a heat rating of 100,000–350,000 Scoville heat units (the measurement of the heat of chili peppers), which is similar to habanero peppers, making it a close substitute.
• These peppers are hotter than poblano, serrano, and cayenne peppers. If you don’t like spicy dishes, feel free to modify the servings used or substitute for a pepper that is less hot. The recipe calls for 1 habanero, you can always use half, ¼th, etc. You can make it less hot by omitting the seeds.
   
• The recipe has a hint of sweetness from pineapple juice and 1 tablespoon of brown sweetener or sugar. If you are looking for sweet chicken, add additional brown sugar or sweetener to suit your taste.
• Jerk chicken, shrimp, etc. is almost always marinated in advance. Marinating will allow the spices and ingredients to penetrate into the chicken. This adds additional flavor and will make them juicy as well. You can marinate for up to 24 hours in advance.
   
• If pan searing I recommend a cast iron skillet or stainless steel pan. A non-stick pan likely won’t give you the crust on the chicken you want for jerk chicken.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.3poundCalories: 321kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 25gFat: 24g

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Nutrition Data

Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

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