Name: Jamaican Jerk Chicken (Air Fryer, Oven, or Grill)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 lbs bone-in chicken pieces (patted dry); 6 Tablespoon Jamaican jerk wet paste; Jerk BBQ Sauce (optional)

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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.

Close up of a lime wedge with pieces of marinated chicken.

You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!

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

Walkerswood Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Mixed Pack - 10 Oz Each Mild, Hot & Spicy

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.

Buy Now

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.

Two step by step photos to show how to marinate the chicken.

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.

The cooked Jamaican jerk chicken in the air fryer basket.

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.

Jamaican jerk chicken cut up on a plate ready to eat.

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!

Tanya Harris