This is a recipe for Jerk chicken made with The Spice House Jamaican Jerk Mix. It's literally the best, and easiest jerk chicken I’ve ever had, and it's super easy to boot.
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Why You're Going To Love It
I'll be the first to admit I am a spice snob. I just don't think ready-made brands compare to homemade spice mixes. It takes so little time to make a spice mix if you have all the ingredients, that I always end up making my own.
But not everyone wants to, and not everyone has all the ingredients to make one. So I decided to try out the Spice House mixes and see if I could find something I liked.
I created a marinade with the Jerk Seasoning mix they have, and I made about half of what the recipe calls for. I let the chicken sit overnight and cooked it this morning. The mix smelled delicious but I wasn't sure how it would taste.
I am entirely in love with this mix. I really don't see how my homemade version could outperform this so I'm not even going to try. I'm sold. Try the Jerk Seasoning from The Spice House and save yourself some effort while quickly getting a great dinner on the table.
It has a slight heat at the back of it, but it's mainly extremely flavorful and full of complex spices. I also think it's a good value. I got an $7.99 bag and made the recipe below. I still have enough to make it about 3-4 more times.
I think that's a fantastic value especially when you consider what you'd pay if you ordered this dish in a restaurant (not to mention, a plane ticket to Jamaica so there's that).
Why Do They Call It Jerk Chicken?
The term "jerk" is used to describe the way that meat is seasoned and cooked. The original version of this type of meat was seasoned with a recognizable blend of spices and then smoked to help preserve it. This meat was called charqui. Over time this became what we now know as jerky.
Is Jerk Chicken Sweet or Spicy?
Jerk Chicken has quite the spicy kick. However, it is not a "blow the top of your head off" kind of spicy. The flavor of the scotch bonnets is balanced well by the thyme and allspice.
To create the marinade, I used a small amount of lime and orange juice, so there is a touch of sweetness and acidity to subdue the spice.
What Are The Three Main Ingredients In Jerk?
The three main ingredients in Jerk seasoning are Thyme, Scotch Bonnet, and Allspice. The Spice House includes these three ingredients along with others in their blend, so the taste truly is authentic.
Ingredients You'll Need For This Recipe
- The Spice House Jamaican Jerk Spice
- Olive oil
- Soy Sauce
- White Vinegar
- Fresh lime juice
- Orange Juice
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
- Vegetable Oil or Ghee
How To Make Jamaican Jerk Chicken
- Place the chicken in a quart-size Ziploc bag. Pour marinade ingredients onto the chicken and let it rest overnight or up to 24 hours.
- When ready to cook, heat a nonstick pan and add the tablespoon of vegetable oil or ghee.
- Add chicken pieces into a single layer and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165F.
- Serve straight out of the pan and enjoy!
You basically mix the seasoning with soy sauce, vinegar, lime juice, and orange juice and then you dunk the chicken in there and let it marinate.
I cooked it in a skillet with some ghee and it took no time at all to make. I mean, look at that marinade! You know it will be flavorful when it looks thick and delicious like that.
How Long Does It Last?
For the most delicious and safest bite, keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Try to enjoy any Jerk Chicken that may be left over within 3-4 days after preparing it.
What Do You Serve With Jerk Chicken?
Many of the foods that are traditionally paired with a yummy Jerk Chicken are high in carbs, so if you're eating low carb, use your best judgment on what does and doesn't fit in your daily macros from the list below.
More Jamaican Recipes
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Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons (2 Tablespoons) The Spice House Jamaican Jerk Spice
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) olive oil
- 1 tablespoons (1 tablespoons) Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) White Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) Orange Juice
- 2 pounds (0.91 kg) boneless, skinless chicken, cut into cubes
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) vegetable oil or ghee, for cooking
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a quart-size Ziploc bag. Pour marinade ingredients onto the chicken and let it rest overnight or up to 24 hours.
- When ready to cook, heat a nonstick pan and add the tablespoon of vegetable oil or ghee.
- Add chicken pieces into a single layer and cook until done, and the insides are no longer pink, and serve sizzling hot.
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Nutrition
Don't forget to check out my other Keto cookbooks.
Keto Instant Pot, Keto Fat Bombs, Sweets, & Treats, and Easy keto in 30 minutes.
julie999
Soy Sauce, Orange Juice and Vegetable Oil is not Keto. Did you calculate carbs and sugar grams in your recipe?
Thanks
URVASHI PITRE
Oops! That one should be marked low carb. Yes I did calculate sugar. Honestly it’s so little of that stuff, and most of it gets left behind in the marinade. I will Check and change from Keto to low carb tomorrow. Thanks for letting me know.
Jen
Can I use this marinade with boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into quarters and bake it in the oven, or will that change the texture/flavor too much?
URVASHI PITRE
I do think it would change the texture and flavor but if you like chicken breast you might be okay with it. My concern is that it maybe too dry.