Oven Baked Jerk Chicken

I love jerk chicken oven-baked, but then who doesn’t? Most people who travel to the Caribbean say it is the highlight of their trip. Well, second to coconut rum drinks, of course. 😜 This meal comes together super fast, especially after you have all the ingredients together, which makes it a great weeknight meal everyone can get excited about. I marinate jerk chicken overnight in the refrigerator. It saves me time the next day, and it allows the flavors to come together beautifully. This particular recipe is very mild if you leave out the scotch bonnet. But if you’re a heat seeker like me, just keep the scotch bonnet as per the recipe. For those of you who enjoy next-level spicy dishes, add as much hot pepper as you can handle. ❤️‍🔥

Recipe Ingredients

How to Oven-Bake Jerk Chicken

Prep the Chicken and Make the Marinade

Trim chicken of any excess fat and pat dry with a cloth or paper napkin.  Rub each piece down with lemon and creole seasoning, plus salt and pepper if you desire.  Heat oil in a sauté pan or skillet set to medium heat. Then, add the scotch bonnet pepper and garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until it gets nice and browned. Spices – Add the nutmeg, brown sugar, allspice, and cinnamon. Keep stirring until the sugar melts and the mixture starts to clump together. Cool – Take it off the heat and let it cool. Blend – Place the mixture in a food processor or blender. Add the thyme, white pepper, ginger, green onions, soy sauce, bouillon powder, onion, and pineapple juice. Pulse for about 30 seconds until blended. Marinate – Drench the chicken with jerk marinade in a ziplock bag or another airtight container. Chill it in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight. 

Bake the Jerk Chicken

Preheat your oven to 425℉ (220℃). Line your baking pan with foil, then top it with a wire rack. Drain – Remove chicken from the jerk marinade and let any excess drip off. Reserve the marinade. Place the chicken legs in a single layer on the wire rack. While the chicken legs bake, the fat will drip to the bottom of the pan for crispier skin. Bake the chicken legs until cooked through and the skin is crispy, for 45-50 minutes. Rotate the chicken halfway through, around the 20-minute mark. Jerk Sauce – In a small saucepan, simmer the remaining jerk marinade for about 7 minutes to cook it. You can serve the jerk sauce on the side or drizzle it directly over the cooked chicken.

Recipe Variations

Tips and Tricks

Make-Ahead Instructions

To make this dish ahead of time, simply follow the recipe and store the baked chicken drenched in the jerk sauce in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat it, use the microwave or dump those saucy legs in an oven-safe dish and reheat them at low heat for about 15 minutes. Take them out as soon as they’re heated through to keep them from drying out. You can also freeze this dish for up to three months. Thaw the chicken in the fridge the night before you want to serve it.

Serving and Storage Instructions 

Serve this dish with plenty of tasty sides as soon as it comes out of the oven! Refrigerate leftover jerk chicken for 3-5 days in an airtight container. Or freeze them for up to 3 months.

What Goes With Oven Baked Jerk Chicken

I love me some baked jerk chicken with a hearty helping of Caribbean rice and beans. However, it goes great with Mexican rice, which you can bake at the same time. I like to add some baked plantains to the menu as well, along with a tall, cool glass of sorrel drink.

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