Jerk Chicken Marinade
We're not exaggerating when we say this is the best jerk chicken marinade! It's a smoky, spicy, and slightly sweet blend of jerk seasoning, onion, garlic, fresh lime, and jalapeƱo. It's a quick and easy recipe that makes the most tender and juicy chicken every time!
This Jamaican jerk chicken recipe pairs perfectly with a side of our favorite coconut rice and sweet summer peach salsa.
Spice up your life with this recipe for jerk chicken marinade. Made with only fresh ingredients, it's incredibly flavorful and healthy, too. Not only do marinades give food amazing flavor, but they also help tenderize and add moisture to the meat.
Jerk is traditionally used in the Caribbean on chicken but it also tastes great with beef, pork chops, and seafood like fish and prawns. You can even use it to transform bland tofu and vegetables so vegetarians can enjoy it, too!
It's really simple to make and freezes well for easy make-ahead meals. Scroll down for tips on adjusting the heat so the whole family can enjoy the taste of jerk!
What you'll need to make jerk chicken marinade
The marinade gets its distinct flavor from jerk seasoning, which is made from a delicious mix of aromatics, spices, herbs, and brown sugar. Then we add fresh onion and garlic, lime juice, and jalapeƱo pepper for even more delicious flavor!
Here's everything you'll need to make this bold jerk chicken marinade:
- Onion + garlic – for their distinctly pungent flavors.
- Lime juice – fresh is best!
- Cooking oil – any neutral-tasting cooking oil will work. Our go-to's for grilling are avocado and olive
- Soy sauce – adds a rich, salty taste.
- Jerk seasoning – we use our homemade jerk seasoning, but you can use store-bought in a pinch!
- JalapeƱo pepper – optional, for extra kick and flavor.
- Chicken – chicken thighs or chicken breasts work equally well in this recipe.
How to adjust the heat
Jerk is known for being a hot spice mixture. To make a less spicy version of jerk marinade, use sweet paprika instead of cayenne in the seasoning and omit the jalapeƱo pepper. If you're using a store-bought jerk seasoning, test a little bit with your finger to see how spicy it is before using it.
On the other hand, if you love heat and want to make a jerk that will knock your socks off, try using scotch bonnet peppers in place of the jalapeƱo peppers. They're often used in Jamaica and are one of the hottest peppers you can buy!
How to make jerk chicken marinade
- Blend – place the onion, lime juice, oil, soy sauce, jerk seasoning, garlic, and (if using) the jalapeƱo pepper into your blender or food processor and blend until it's nice and smooth.
- Marinate – if you plan on cooking the chicken tonight, place it into a shallow bowl or baking dish and pour the marinade overtop. Mix it around to coat the chicken and then marinate it for up to 24 hours in your fridge. For the best flavor, make sure it sits in the marinade for at least 30 minutes.
- Option to freeze – if you're not using it right away and you're going to freeze it, put the raw chicken into freezer bags (we love these reusable stasher freezer bags) and pour the marinade overtop. Squish the bag around a little so that the chicken is coated, seal the bag, and place it into your freezer.
- Cook the chicken – to bake it, place the chicken on a shallow baking sheet and bake it in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit until it's cooked through. To grill it, remove the chicken from the marinade and grill on medium until cooked through and you get some nice dark, crusty edges. If you're using a charcoal grill, try adding some pimento wood chips for a distinct Jamaican flavor.
Full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below.
How long should I marinate jerk chicken?
We recommend marinating the chicken for at least 30 minutes, and up to 24 hours. Marinating not only imparts amazing flavor but also helps to tenderize the meat. Longer isn't necessarily better, but ideally, several hours will allow the flavors to really sink in.
FAQS
To save time, you can make the marinade ahead of time. It will stay fresh in a sealed jar or container for about 3 days.
Pimento wood gives Jamaican jerk its distinct flavor. Pimento wood comes from pimento or allspice trees. While traditional jerk uses the wood, sticks, and leaves from the tree to impart flavor, using the wood chips can still provide lots of flavor.
If you have a charcoal or gas grill, you can use pimento wood chips in the same way you'd use other wood chips. Either place them in a smoker box or make a bed of chips on the coals and lay the food directly on top of the chips.
What to serve with jerk chicken
Jerk chicken is traditionally served with a simple side of rice and beans. We love it with a side of our favorite coconut rice and some sweet mango, pineapple, or summer peach salsa to offset the heat.
It also pairs perfectly with vegetable sides like sautƩed green beans with garlic, or baked plantains.
Make a big batch of this crowd-pleasing jerk chicken for a flavorful meal that everyone will enjoy. It's a perfect recipe for backyard BBQ parties and it's easy to serve with other grilled foods like chili lime grilled corn on the cob, grilled potato salad, or grilled peach salad.
Favorite chicken marinade recipes
- Spicy Chicken Marinade
- Mexican Chicken Marinade
- Lemon Garlic Chicken Marinade
- Balsamic Chicken Marinade
Jerk Chicken Marinade
If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!
Ingredients
- Ā½ medium onion
- Ā¼ cup lime juice, fresh is best!
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, gluten-free if needed
- 2 tablespoons jerk seasoning, see notes
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 jalapeƱo pepper, optional
- 2 lb chicken thighs or breast
Instructions
- Place the onion, lime juice, oil, soy sauce, jerk seasoning, garlic, and if using the jalapeƱo pepper into your blender.Ā½ medium onion, Ā¼ cup lime juice, 2 tablespoons cooking oil, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons jerk seasoning, 4 cloves garlic, 1 jalapeƱo pepper
- Blend on high speed until the marinade is mostly smooth.
- Place the chicken in a shallow bowl or baking dish and pour the jerk chicken marinade over the top. Mix it around a little so that all the chicken is coated in the marinade then let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes – or up to 24 hours in your fridge.2 lb chicken thighs or breast
Cook the chicken
- Bake:Ā Put the chicken onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit, uncovered, for 15 minutes for boneless thighs, 20-25 minutes for breast, and 35-40 minutes for bone-in thighs.Grill:Ā Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill over medium heat for 10 minutes for boneless thighs, 18-22 minutes for breast, and 30-35 minutes (over indirect heat) for bone-in thighs.
Optional: freeze the chicken
- Put the raw chicken into freezer bags (we love theseĀ Stasher freezer bags!) then pour the marinade over the top. Squish the bag around a little so that the chicken is coated in the marinade then seal the bag and put it into your freezer.
Notes
- 1 teaspoon EACH: onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne (spicy!) OR paprika (mild!)
- Ā½ teaspoon EACH: sea salt, black pepper, brown sugar, parsley, thyme
- Ā¼ teaspoon EACH: all-spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin
This is NOT jerk seasoning/marinade. Neither cayenne nor jalopeno goes in jerk. Scotch bonnets give it a distinct flavor. They are also far from the hottest peppers you can buy. I don’t understand how “food people” mix up cultures so often and call things something they are not. It’s kind of ignorant.
You’re right that scotch bonnets are traditionally used for heat and flavor in jerk. Unfortunately, they are not easy to come by unless you live in a big, multicultural city. We’ve chosen to use a widely available pepper so that everyone has access to the ingredients needed to make this recipe. But if you’re one of the lucky ones who can get their hands on scotch bonnets, then by all means, use them!