This oven baked jerk chicken recipe is marinated overnight and baked to perfection for an easy meal. Caramelized on the outside, tender and juicy in the center, and packed with warm, savory flavor. A restaurant-quality dish that pairs perfectly with rice, roasted veggies, or a fresh salad!
I really wanted my friends—especially those with kids—to be able to enjoy this jerk chicken recipe, because it’s something a little different, but still so approachable. It’s easy, it’s healthy, and it’s packed with flavor. The marinade truly takes an ordinary chicken dinner up a notch, and you could even serve it at a holiday gathering.
Traditional Jamaican jerk is known for its fiery Scotch bonnet peppers, but this version skips them for a milder, more accessible take. It still brings that signature warm, spiced flavor—just a little gentler on the heat, so everyone can enjoy it—spice lovers and spice-shy alike.
Tips Before You Begin
- Basting: For extra juiciness, baste the chicken halfway through baking with the pan juices or any extra marinade that hasn’t touched raw chicken.
- Marinate for Flavor: The longer the chicken marinates, the deeper the jerk flavor will be. Overnight marinating (up to 24 hours for thighs) gives the best results. If you’re short on time, aim for at least 1 hour, and let the chicken sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes before baking so it cooks more evenly.
- Loosen Skin: For skin-on thighs or drums, gently loosen the skin to help the jerk paste penetrate and season the meat throughout.
- Dry Well: Patting the chicken dry before adding the marinade helps it sear better, which locks in moisture and creates a nice golden color on the skin, leading to a crisp exterior.
- Meal Prep: You can freeze the uncooked marinated chicken in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake as directed. This works great for make-ahead meals.
Ingredients and Notes
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete details!
- Chicken – You’ll need 1.5 to 2 pounds of chicken. I prefer to use skin-on thighs, but skinless chicken breasts also work. Both bone-in and boneless chicken work well. Just adjust the baking time as needed, depending on which you use.
- Oil – Use light olive oil or avocado oil to form the base of the marinade.
- Lemon Juice – The acidity adds freshness to the marinade and helps tenderize the chicken. Substitute apple cider vinegar for a slightly tangier taste.
- Spices – Cayenne pepper, smoked paprika (or sweet paprika), salt, pepper, ground allspice, dried thyme, optional red pepper flakes, cinnamon, and ground nutmeg (or clove) create the savory, spicy jerk chicken flavor.
Note: I Include a pinch of cumin or ginger for even more depth.
- Garlic – I use fresh garlic cloves for the best taste, but garlic powder will also work.
- Onion – Use finely minced white onion or the white and green parts of green onions.
- Coconut Palm Sugar or Brown Sugar – This helps balance the warmth and creates a caramelized effect. Use brown sugar for a richer taste.
Ingredient Substitute: If preferred, you can use my jerk seasoning blend. Simply mix about 3 tablespoons of the seasoning with the oil and lemon juice or vinegar. The flavor won’t be quite as bright and fresh, but it will still be delicious!
How to Make Jerk Chicken in the Oven
- Make the marinade paste: Blend oil, lemon juice, garlic, onion, sugar, and spices in a food processor until a thick paste forms.
Note: No food processor? Mince the onion and garlic, then mash the garlic into a paste with salt, and whisk all the ingredients together.
- Marinate the chicken: Pat the chicken VERY dry. Then, rub the paste evenly over and under the skin, and marinate. The longer the better!
- Sear the chicken: Heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet, and sear the chicken on both sides just until golden.
- Bake the chicken: Transfer the chicken to the oven, and bake until the internal temperature reaches 170-175°F for thighs or 165°F for breasts. For extra flavor, finish it under the broiler for a few minutes to create a charred, caramelized exterior.
- Serve: Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving. Then, brush the chicken with the extra juices from the pan, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve my baked jerk chicken recipe with sides like rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa, fried plantains, oven roasted leeks and potatoes, or easy air fryer green beans.
How to Store
Once cool, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Or, freeze the cooked chicken for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw frozen baked jerk chicken in the fridge overnight. Then, reheat it in the oven or microwave.
More of Our Favorite
Easy Chicken Recipes
Oven-Baked Jerk Chicken Recipe
- Total Time: 40–45 minutes (plus marinating time)
- Yield: 4-5 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This oven baked jerk chicken recipe is marinated overnight and baked to perfection for an easy meal. Caramelized on the outside, tender and juicy in the center, and packed with warm, savory flavor.
Ingredients
- 1.5 to 2 lb chicken (4-5 medium skin-on thighs or 3-4 skinless breasts)*
Jerk Paste/Marinade
*see notes for dry seasoning option
- 3–4 Tablespoons light olive oil or avocado oil (4 Tbsp for a looser paste)
- 1–2 Tablespoons lemon juice or 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar for more tang
- 2–3 fresh garlic cloves (about 1.5 teaspoons, minced)
- 3 Tablespoons finely minced fresh onion or 2 small green onions (both white + green parts)
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar for richer flavor)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or sweet paprika
- 1–1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- ⅛–¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg or clove
- Optional spices for depth: pinch of cumin or ground ginger
Garnishes:
- Lime wedge, cilantro, or chopped green onion
Instructions
- Make the Jerk paste: Blend oil, lemon juice or vinegar, garlic, onion, sugar, and all spices in a small food processor until a thick paste forms. No processor- Finely mince the onion and garlic, mash the minced garlic into a paste with salt, then whisk everything together.
- Marinate the chicken: Pat chicken very dry. Rub paste evenly over chicken and under the skin (for thighs) if it’s loose enough. Marinate thighs (skin-on) for 4–24 hours, or chicken breasts for 2–6 hours.
- Once the chicken is marinated, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Heat 1–2 tablespoon oil in a large oven-safe skillet (cast iron works best) over medium-high heat — hot enough to sear but not burn the sugars in the marinade.
- Sear the chicken: Place thighs skin-side down first. Sear 3–4 minutes until the skin is golden and releases easily. Flip and sear the flesh side for 2 minutes. If using skinless chicken breasts, sear 2–3 minutes per side just to get color.
- Transfer chicken to a parchment-lined baking sheet, or leave it in the oven-safe skillet. Bake skin-on bone-in thighs for 20–25 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 170–175°F. For chicken breasts, bake 15–18 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Optional– baste the chicken with juices from the pan half way through cooking. See notes if using boneless thighs.
- Optional finish: Broil 1–2 minutes for a charred, smoky effect — watch closely so the sugars don’t burn.
- Let chicken rest 5 minutes before serving to lock in juices.
- Brush the chicken with extra juices from the pan, if desired. Garnish, then serve.
Notes
Substitutes: If preferred you can use my jerk seasoning blend, simply mix about 3 tablespoons of the seasoning with the oil and lemon juice or vinegar. The flavor won’t be quite as bright and fresh, but it will still be delicious.
If using skin-on boneless chicken thighs, reduce the bake time to 15–20 minutes at 425°F, depending on thickness. Because boneless thighs cook faster than bone-in, check for doneness early — the internal temperature should reach 170–175°F
Storage: Once cooled, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze cooked chicken in freezer-safe bags or containers for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- marinating time: 2-4+ hours
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Caribbean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 ounce jerk chicken thigh with skin
- Calories: 372
- Sugar: 2.8 g
- Sodium: 364.1 mg
- Fat: 28.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 6.3 g
- Fiber: 0.7 g
- Protein: 22.8 g
- Cholesterol: 133.6 mg
Omg this soo good! I ended up using 1/2 tsp of paprika and boneless chicken thighs and it came out perfect. Marinated overnight too!
That’s awesome! I’m so glad you were able to tweak it to your liking. The smoked paprika is definitely a “to taste” depending on your palate 🙌