Whenever I’m craving big, bold flavor, jerk chicken is one of the first things that comes to mind. It’s smoky, a little spicy, and so full of seasoning that every bite wakes up your taste buds. I love that I can make it in the air fryer when I’m short on time, or fire up the grill when I want that extra hint of smokiness.
The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.
Whenever I think of Jamaica, jerk chicken and jerk pork come to mind. It's that dish that always brings me back to the island. Jerk refers to the cooking method, which involves cooking the food over pimento wood and slow-cooking it over a fire, resulting in a nice smoky flavor.
The spice that jerk is usually known for comes from the wet paste that marinates the food before smoking or grilling.
With a really good wet rub and some time marinating, you can make some delicious jerk chicken in the air fryer, oven, or grill.
If you love this recipe, be sure to try my jerk chicken wings and jerk chicken soup.
A Quick Glance at the Ingredients
Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Chicken pieces - I use all pieces of the chicken, from the breast, legs, thighs, and wings. I will usually break down a whole chicken to get all the pieces I need for this recipe.
- Jerk Paste - For this recipe, I use either a good store-bought marinade or my jerk marinade made from scratch. Just do what works best for you based on time and preference.
Recommended Ingredient
This is my go-to store-bought marinade. It comes in mild or spicy. Created in Jamaica, Walkerswood gives you the authentic flavor of jerk.
How to make Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Step 1: Rub chicken pieces with jerk wet paste, making sure to rub under the skin too. Then marinate for 4 hours up to overnight. Overnight is best.
Step 2: Cook according to instructions:
Air Fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Place chicken pieces in the air fryer basket, in a single layer, skin side down, and cook for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway.
Conventional Oven
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place chicken pieces on a baking sheet and bake for 45-50 minutes, flipping halfway.
Grill
Place chicken pieces on a grill that has been heated to medium using indirect heat and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This can take up to an hour on a grill.
When the chicken is done cooking, use a sharp knife to chop it further. This is what gives you that authentic jerk experience, rather than serving big pieces.
How long should you marinate the jerk chicken?
Because there is minimal acidity in the marinade, which can break down the meat, this chicken can be marinated for a long time. The longer the better. Marinate it for at least 4 hours to allow the flavors to develop, and you can leave it overnight. Overnight is best.
Storage Options
This Jamaican Jerk Chicken will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days.
It can be reheated in the oven, covered with foil at 325°F for around 20 minutes until heated through. It can be reheated in the air fryer at 350°F for 4 to 5 minutes.
What do you serve it with?
This easy jerk chicken is great to serve with rice, veggies, salads, and potatoes. Even use it to make a tasty sandwich if you like! Try it with any of these delicious recipes:
- Jamaican Instant Pot Rice and Peas - make this a real, Authentic Jamaican meal with rice and peas.
- Yellow Rice - for those who love a good flavored, colorful dish.
- Festival - One of the main side dishes served with Jerk Chicken is festival. It's a sweet bread that balances the spicy chicken perfectly.
- Plantains - Ripe yellow plantain is fried to perfection and served alongside this chicken. I like to air fry mine out of convenience.
Tanya's Top Recipe Notes and Tips
- I like to use the Jamaican jerk wet paste from Walkerswood. This wet marinade tastes just like the jerk I would get in Jamaica. You can also use a homemade jerk wet rub or jerk dry rub.
- Jerk is usually served dry without a sauce, but feel free to baste the chicken while cooking with Jerk BBQ sauce if you want a more saucy chicken. You can also serve the BBQ sauce as a dipping sauce on the side. That's what I do.
- Jerk Chicken does not have to be extra spicy. For less spice, use a mild jerk marinade or leave out the peppers in the homemade marinade. You will still get fantastic flavor.
More Chicken Recipes You Might Enjoy
- Jamaican Curry Chicken - This delicious, flavorful curry uses dark meat and tastes absolutely amazing. It's perfect for when you want a saucy Jamaican chicken.
- Brown Stew Chicken - A Classic Jamaican chicken dish. Sometimes served for breakfast, this chicken is marinated in flavorful spices and then stewed until done.
I hope you love this Jerk chicken recipe as much as we do. If you have tried this or any other recipe on my blog, please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below! Your feedback is invaluable and helps us grow. I appreciate your support!
Jamaican Jerk Chicken (Air Fryer, Oven, or Grill)
Ingredients
Instructions
- Rub chicken pieces with paste, making sure to rub under the skin too.
- Marinate for 4 hrs up or up to overnight.
- Cook according to instructions:
- Preheat air fryer to 360 degrees Farhenheit. Place chicken pieces in the air fryer basket, cook for for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place chicken pieces on baking sheet and bake for 45-50 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Place chicken pieces on a grill that has been heated to medium using indirect heat and cook until internal temp reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This can take up to an hour on a grill.
- Once chicken is done cooking, use a sharp knife to further chop the chicken,
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- I like to use the Jamaican jerk wet paste from Walkerswood. This wet marinade tastes just like the jerk you would get in Jamaica. You can also use a homemade jerk wet rub.
- Jerk is usually served dry without a sauce but feel free to baste the chicken while cooking with jerk bbq sauce if you want a more saucy chicken. You can also serve the bbq sauce as a dipping sauce on the side.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!This post was originally published on May 11, 2021. It has been updated with helpful information.
Teda says
I made this for my family last night, and they gobbled it up. The recipe is easy to follow and the meal was delicious. Will definitely make this again.
Tanya says
Thanks Teda! So happy you all like the recipe.
Mari says
Easy and simple and DELICIOUS
Tanya says
Thanks Mari! So happy you like the recipe 🙂
Grannycan says
I love jerked chicken and this is the best I've ever eaten! Thanks so much for the link to Walkerswood jerk paste. I've made this 3 times, so far and the whole fam likes it! We use leg quarters, marinate overnight, and add about 15 minutes to the cook time. Excellent!
I'm so grateful I found your website when I got the air fryer. We use the jerk bbq for a dipping sauce, great flavor!
Tanya says
Thanks so much Grannycan! The jerk paste is amazing.
Bobby says
Tried this recipe in my cosori added couple pimento seeds in a foil in the bottom of the catch basin half way through the cooking process and it was just like back home when you cook the chicken over the pimento wood emmmm 😋 yummy
Tanya says
Thanks Bobby! I love the idea of adding the pimento seeds in foil. I'm going to give that a try next time.
Mar says
I have only ever used Grace Jerk paste, but it has changed over the past decade and isn't as spicey imo. It was once an addiction for me...lol. Would you say Walkerswood is better?
Tanya says
Hey Mar, I'd say you have to try it but I've always liked Walkerswood the best. I can't recall if I've tried Grace to be honest. Once I had Walker's, I was hooked. But if you like spicy, you have to get the spicy Walkerswood.
Lisa says
I use the Walkerswood hot and spicy paste but add lemon juice, kosher salt and olive oil. Wisk well. Be sure to tase to see if you need to add more lemon or salt. The lemon juice helps tame to intense heat of the jerk paste but still have the nice heat you're looking for! Delicious!!
Dolores says
This recipe looks delicious, so I just put the chicken in a deep bowl with Jerk Sauce to marinate overnight and I'll fry it up in my Cosori in the morning after church.
Can't wait... 😋
Ann says
OMG! Amazing!! Thank you. 🙂
Tanya says
So glad you liked it 🙂
NELLA says
What do you suggest to cook with the jerk chicken to make a complete meal
Tanya says
Hi Nella, you can make rice and peas, coleslaw, or steamed cabbage.
TN says
I commented earlier, before I cooked and ate. I’m disappointed when people do that because it’s not really helping me determine if the dish is worth my money, time, and calories!
So I am following up. I have one word, 😍FANTASTIC!
I do recommend that you know your cooking device and govern yourself accordingly. My Ninja did very well following the recommended air-fry instructions.
I do also recommend, if you go for a brief 1 hour marinade like I did, pre-season your bird a bit before adding the jerk.
Beyond that, I totally enjoyed the spice, heat, flavor, tenderness, and texture of my wings. The color was fantastic, very dark in spots and golden brown in others.
Thanks Walkerwood and myforkinglife!
Tanya says
Thanks TN! Thank you for the feedback! It's all very helpful. and yes, Walkerswood is still my all-time favorite jerk paste. We also had it on wings today lol.
TN says
I bought Walkerwood Mild, after looking at a few different brands that were available in the store. I got home and started the chicken marinade.
While letting time pass, I was looking online for cook times and temps, when I came across your recipe. I’m so exited to try the air-fry method in my Ninja (flip-up model)!
The Walkerwood has a good flavor, right out of the jar. But I’m only cooking wing pieces and I’m short on time. So I’m going with a little extra seasoning and a 1 hour marinade time. I can’t wait to see how it all turns out!
Thanks for the air-fry recommendation!
Sherry says
Hello, what a delicious recipe. I ordered Walkerwood as you suggested. Thank you, will be making this recipe from now on. I mixed the hot and spicy with the mild. Outstanding. 😀
Tanya says
Thank you Sherry! So glad you liked it. Walkerswood is amazing.
Amy says
This jerk chicken was delicious and easy. I used the mild Walkerswood jerk paste and it was slightly spicy without being overwhelming. I made the jerk barbeque sauce, too, and it was an excellent addition. We grilled the chicken because it was a nice day.
Tanya says
Thanks Amy! So glad you liked it. These nice days are amazing too. Perfect grilling weather.
Gardenia Hardee says
What Air flyer are you using ?
Tanya says
This is the Cosori 5.8qt.