If you’re a fan of Jamaican jerk chicken, but not the spicy food heartburn, our Baked Jerk Chicken may be just what you’re looking for. Full disclosure, if you’re looking for the authentic set-your-face-on-fire scotch bonnet pepper experience, this is not it.
These simple and delicious Baked Jerk Chicken breasts go perfectly alongside our Jamaican Style Cauliflower Rice and Peas for a quick weeknight meal that’s family-friendly and won’t leave you reaching for the antacids…unless you want to…
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Baked Jerk Chicken
Baked Jerk Chicken
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts, divided lobe and tip
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 large navel orange, zested and juiced
- 1/2 fresh lime, zested and juiced
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp water, divided
- 1/4 cup white vinegar (apple cider vinegar for paleo option)
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp Swerve Brown Sweetener or Lakanto Golden Sweetener, packed
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (more, to taste)
- Pinch of salt
- Optional: 1 tbsp spiced rum, 1/4 tsp five spice powder
- Optional smoke: 1/4 to 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- Optional heat: Deseed and chop 1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, and add to marinade mix*
Instructions
- Add all spices to a small bowl and set aside.
- Prepare onions and garlic and add half to the bottom of a large zip-top freezer bag. Sprinkle chicken breasts with a generous pinch of salt and place in the bag. Place remaining onions and garlic on top of the chicken.
- To a large measuring cup, add 2 tablespoons of the water and all other liquid ingredients, zest, sweetener, and spices. Stir to combine well, then pour over the chicken breasts.
- Remove excess air and seal bag, then massage to evenly coat the chicken. For best results, marinate overnight. Minimally, for two hours.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F with rack at center position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on the sheet.
- Remove chicken breasts from the bag and bake on prepared rack until internal temperature reads 160 degrees F, about 25 minutes. If you don’t have a rack, put the chicken directly on the foil.
- While chicken is cooking, transfer leftover marinade to a sauce pan, add reserved 1/4 cup water, then cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a medium simmer and continue cooking until liquid is slightly reduced and thickened (5-7 minutes). Use a fine mesh strainer over a bowl to reserve the liquid, pressing to strain fully. Reserve 2-3 tablespoons of the remaining onions and pulse with the liquid in a blender or bullet blender to form a thick sauce or paste. This is also fantastic as a side dipping sauce and drizzled over our Jamaican Style Cauliflower Rice and Peas.
- When chicken is fully cooked, brush with your favorite barbecue sauce or the reserved marinade paste and place under the broiler for a few minutes until caramelized.
- Loosely tent with foil and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
*To control heat when using a scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, deseed and halve or quarter the pepper for the marinade. Remove pepper before boiling and reducing the leftover marinade.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Entrees, Weeknight Meals
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Caribbean
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