Simple Grilled Jerk Chicken Breasts

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A flavorful chicken dinner that takes just minutes to cook.
sliced jerk chickenon a plate with a salad

Grilled Jerk Chicken breasts are made with a simple, yet spicy homemade marinade that is a combination of savory, spicy and sweet; just perfect for mild-tasting chicken breasts.

sliced jerk chickenon a plate with a salad

Grilled jerk chicken breasts are zesty and filled with flavor. The jerk chicken marinade is simple to make with spices and condiments that you most likely have in your kitchen already. It’s an easy recipe that everyone will love.

Authentic jerk chicken recipes are made with hot peppers such as jalapeno peppers, habanero peppers or scotch bonnet peppers which aren’t always available in the supermarket. So I like to make my own jerk seasoning blend using dried spices. 

The homemade spice blend is easy to make, and once it’s made, it can be stored in the spice cabinet for a few months which is very convenient to make this recipe fast. And you don’t have to worry about your hands burning from cutting up all of those scotch bonnets.

Why you will love grilled jerk chicken breasts

  • The marinade is easy to make with dried spices which you probably have in your kitchen already.
  • It’s easy to make and packed with flavor!
The recipe ingredients: apple cider vinegar, jerk spice blend, tamari sauce chicken breast olive oil

Here is what you will need

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Ingredients

🥄Equipment

Here is how to make this grilled jerk chicken recipe

Preheat a grill at high heat.

a picture of chicken breasts in marinade

Step 1. mix up the Jamaican jerk marinade ingredients, in a bowl and add the chicken. Marinate the chicken for at least one hour.

Step 2. Preheat the grill, once it’s hot, place chicken on the grill grates. If the grill seems to be too hot, reduce the heat to medium heat and cover grill and cook the chicken for about 5 to 8 minutes depending on how thick the chicken is.

chicke breast on a grill
a grilled chicken breast on a cutting board

Step 3. Flip the chicken breasts over and cook for 5 to 8 minutes longer until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the grill and let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

Chicken – Boneless chicken breasts are convenient and cook fast. You also can use boneless chicken thighs instead or a combination of both.

Boneless chicken can be replaced with bone-in chicken thighs or breasts, however, the cooking time will be longer by approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Check the internal temperature of the chicken with a instant read thermometer before serving, it should be 165 degrees f.

Tamari Sauce – Is a fermented and gluten-free Japanese soy sauce. It tastes similar to soy sauce but has a richer flavor. Substitute Tamari Sauce with an equal amount of soy sauce or coconut aminos which also is soy free.

Jerk Seasoning Blend -I like to use my homemade jerk seasoning to make the marinade, and you can also use a packaged jerk spice blend.

grilled chicken breast on a cutting board sliced with a knife

How to store and use leftover grilled Caribbean jerk chicken

Once it reaches room temperature, you can store leftover grilled jerk chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Leftover uses – This is a great recipe to double; leftover grilled jerk chicken breasts have so many uses. Serve them in a salad, nachos, in sandwich, wrap, quesadilla or pita bread.

Dry Rubbed Jamaican Jerk Chicken – Instead of marinating, rub some of the spice blend onto the chicken breasts without the marinade for about 20 minutes before grilling. This is a great option if you don’t have time to marinate.

Sweet and Spicy Jerk Chicken – Add a touch of sweetness to the marinade and add a teaspoon or two to taste of brown sugar or honey

Citrus Jerk Chicken: To give it a citrusy flavor, add a tablespoon of lime, lemon, or orange juice.

Change up the Meat – Replace the chicken with boneless pork chops, or pork tenderloin.  We’ve tried them all and they all taste great!

Make it Vegetarian – Slice a block of firm tofu in half (horizontally), marinate it for several hours, then grill it for 5 minutes on each side.

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Speedy Supper Solutions!

Get dinner on the table fast with these ideas.

a close up of sliced jerk chicken on a plate with a salad

Serving Suggestions

Serve this juicy chicken garnished with chopped green onions, and Sauteed Baby Turnips, Greek Chopped Salad, Mexican macaroni salad, jalapeno poppers or Arugula Salad and a baked potato.

Just before the chicken has finished cooking on the grill, add a few slices of pineapple, grill them and serve them with the chicken.

Top the grilled chicken with mango strawberry salsa

Tips

  • The longer the chicken marinates, the flavor will intensify. If you have the time marinating overnight is best.
  • The chicken will be ready to flip over once it no longer sticks to the grill.
Can you make jerk chicken in the oven instead of the grill?

Yes, you can. Place the chicken marinated chicken breasts on a baking sheet or roasting pan, and bake at 350 until the chicken reaches 165 (about 20 minutes).

What is jerk seasoning, and what does it taste like?

Jerk seasoning is a blend of spices originating from Jamaica, typically made with allspice berries, scotch bonnet peppers, and thyme. It has a complex flavor profile with a delicious balance of heat and aromatic spices.

Can I adjust the spice level of jerk chicken?

Yes, you can adjust the heat by using up to a tablespoon less spice blend in the marinade.

Do you like this recipe?

Please leave a comment and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below!

sliced jerk chickenon a plate with a salad

Grilled Jerk Chicken Breasts

A flavorful chicken dinner that takes just minutes to cook.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Marinating Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Click on serving size to scale this recipe

Course: Dinner Recipes
Cuisine: Caribbean
Keyword: grilled jerk chicken
Servings: 4
Calories: 295kcal
Author: Anne
Scale this Recipe 4

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Make the marinade: add seasoning blend, tamari sauce, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil to a glass bowl that's large enough to hold the chicken and mix well.
  • Add the chicken breasts to the marinade in the bowl and turn them a few times to make sure they are coated on all sides with the marinade. Cover the chicken and refrigerate for at least one hour.
  • Preheat a gas grill or electric on high heat.
  • Place the chicken breasts on the grill; reduce the heat and cover the grill. Cook them for 7 minutes, flip them over and cook for about 5 minutes more until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees f.

Notes

Store leftover chicken breasts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 
Use leftovers in salads, nachos, sandwiches, wraps or quesadillas.
See the article above for recipe variations, tips and more

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25pound chicken | Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 575mg | Potassium: 274mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 94IU | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used

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