Super flavorful oven baked Jamaican jerk chicken takes the “boring” out of chicken! Bold, sweet-and-spicy, jerk seasoning is one of my favorite ways to season chicken.
The idea to make this wonderfully flavorful chicken recipe came to me while reading the fascinating memoir by chef Marcus Samuelsson, “Yes Chef.” Mr. Samuelsson mentions “jerk seasoning,” and of course I was intrigued.
What is jerk seasoning?
A quick internet search led to a jerk seasoning recipe which I tweaked just a bit. As usual, the following jerk chicken recipe in the recipe card below is my own interpretation.
Jerk seasoning is phenomenal – bold, sweet-and-spicy, and full of flavor. Generally, I find chicken bland, but with this seasonings, it is anything but.
In fact, this tasty recipe has quickly become a family favorite. It is now one of the chicken recipes most requested by my family (another one is this honey baked chicken).
The ingredients you’ll need
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty main dish (exact measurements are included in the recipe card below):
- Coconut oil
- Honey
- Spices: allspice, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, ground cloves, ground cumin
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Chicken drumsticks
How to make jerk chicken
It’s so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
- Combine all the ingredients except for the chicken to make a paste.
- Spread the paste all over the drumsticks.
- Take until cooked through, about 45 minutes at 400°F.
By the way, even if you’re health conscious, there’s no need to remove the chicken skin. It’s fine to eat, and it adds so much flavor!
Is it a low-carb recipe?
Despite the honey in the marinade, a serving of this recipe has just 9 grams of carbs, making it appropriate for moderately low-carb diets.
If you’re on a very low carb diet and need it to be even lower in carbs, you could try using just 1 tablespoon honey, thinning out the jerky paste with a bit of water if needed.
Or try using a low carb honey substitute. Nutrition info for these options is included below in the recipe card.
How to store leftover jerk chicken?
Keep leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power.
More tasty chicken recipes
These spicy baked chicken thighs are excellent. The seasoning in that recipe is another great way to ensure your chicken is not bland.
And another very flavorful chicken recipe is blackened chicken. Again, the spices make a big difference!
Jamaican Jerk Chicken
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (use 2 teaspoons if you don’t mind high sodium)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 (3.5 oz) chicken drumsticks, skin on
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine the first nine ingredients (all of them except the chicken) to make a paste.
- Arrange the chicken drumsticks in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Spoon the paste on top, spreading it all over the drumsticks.
- Bake until chicken is fragrant, well-browned and cooked through, about 45 minutes.
NOTES
More Healthy Recipes:
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., has been following a healthy real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She has taken 
