Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken
This spicy Jamaican slow cooker jerk chicken recipe just made an easy weeknight meal even easier. Why wait for the weekend for an incredible meal when you can put the crockpot to work for you? Whip up an easy weekday dinner and relax with the family.
Now, please don’t hit the exit button on this jerk chicken recipe just because it isn’t grilled or baked. I promise that using the slow cooker makes chicken just as tasty. I know you’re thinking: What about the crispy skin?
No problem. For that addictive, crispy skin, simply pop it under the good ole broiler for a few minutes, and you’re good to go.
Jerk Chicken in the Crockpot
Slow-cooker jerk chicken is a foolproof win for everyone. Your crockpot makes a delicious set-it-and-forget-it meal that fills the kitchen with beautiful aromas and a meal ready to serve as you walk in the door. And if you’ve never had jerk chicken, you’re in for a treat. Boy, is it an explosion of flavor!
I added pineapple juice for an extra tropical sweetness to complement the heat from hot peppers. And consider the sugar optional because I omitted it for a friend who doesn’t consume sugar, and she loved it. And lastly, adjust the amount of scotch bonnets or habaneros to your desired heat level.
How to Make Jamaican Jerk Chicken in the Slow Cooker
Marinate Chicken
- Trim excess fat off the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Rub it with the lemon and 2 teaspoons of Creole seasoning or salt and pepper. Put it in a glass mixing bowl or a large ziplock bag. (Photo 1)
- Jerk Marinade – Combine the scotch bonnet, garlic, cinnamon, allspice, white pepper, nutmeg, sugar, onions, thyme, ginger, soy sauce, pineapple juice, and bouillon in a food processor or blender. Pulse for about 30 seconds until blended but not completely smooth.
- Marinate – Pour ¾ of the jerk marinade over the chicken and mix to cover the chicken. Cover the bowl or seal the ziplock back and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. Try not to touch the jerk blend with your hands because it’s spicy hot and can burn your hands or, worse, get in your eyes. If possible, use gloves. (Photo 2)
Slow Cook It
- Slow Cook – Carefully place the marinated chicken and marinade in the slow cooker so they’re tucked tightly. Put the lid on, turn it on high, and cook for about 3-4 hours or until the chicken is tender.
- Broil – After the chicken is cooked, remove it carefully from the crockpot and place it on a broiler pan or a baking sheet covered with foil. Be careful because the chicken will be fall-off-the-bone tender. You might have to use a spatula or tongs. Pour a little bit of the cooked marinade over the chicken. Adjust the oven rack so the top of the chicken is 4-5 inches below the broiler. Broil on high for 3-5 minutes or until the skin is crispy and golden brown. Don’t walk away because this happens quickly. (Photo 3)
- Sauce – While the chicken is crisping under the broiler, simmer the sauce from the chicken and the reserved jerk marinade in a saucepan for 5-7 minutes or until it reduces to the desired consistency. Brush over chicken and serve. (Photo 4)
Tips & Notes
- Set your crock pot on low for 5-6 hours to leave it cooking while you go to work.
- Please use gloves when touching the marinated chicken. Those hot peppers can hurt your hands and are worse if they get in your eyes.
- Make the marinade ahead with the jerk seasonings and fresh vegetables, and keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days.
What to Pair With Crockpot Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Caribbean rice and beans is the classic pairing, but feel free to get creative with the recipes you prefer. African red beans and rice or pigeon peas and rice are delicious options.
More Spicy Caribbean Recipes to Enjoy
This blog post was originally published in December 2014 and has been updated with additional tips and gorgeous photos.
Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken
Ingredients
- 6-7 chicken thighs or a 3-3½ pound chicken cut into pieces
- 1 lime or lemon
- 2 teaspoons (9g) Creole seasoning, poultry seasoning, or just salt and pepper
- 1 or more scotch bonnet pepper (or habanero)
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- ½ tablespoon (1-2g) ground cinnamon
- ½ tablespoon (1-2g) ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon (1-2g) coarsely ground white pepper
- ½ teaspoon (1-2g) freshly grated nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons (25-27g) dark brown sugar
- 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
- 3 green onions or scallions, chopped
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon (14-15g) fresh ginger, chopped
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) soy sauce
- ½ cup (118ml) pineapple juice or fresh pineapple chunks
- 1 tablespoon (10g) bouillon powder (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the chicken, trim excess fat, and pat dry with paper towels. Rub with lemon and 2 teaspoons of Creole seasoning or salt and pepper. Set it aside in a glass mixing bowl or a large ziplock bag.
- Combine the scotch bonnet, garlic, cinnamon, allspice, white pepper, nutmeg, sugar, onions, thyme, ginger, soy sauce, pineapple juice, and bouillon in a food processor or blender. Pulse for about 30 seconds until blended but not completely smooth.
- Pour ¾ of the jerk marinade over the chicken and mix to cover the chicken. Cover the bowl or seal the ziplock back and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. Try not to touch the jerk blend with your hands because it's spicy hot and can burn your hands or, worse, get in your eyes. If possible, use gloves.
- Carefully place the marinated chicken and marinade in the slow cooker so they're tucked tightly. Put the lid on, turn it on high, and cook for 3-4 hours or until the chicken is tender.
- After the chicken is cooked, carefully remove it from the crockpot and place it on a broiler pan or a baking sheet covered with foil. Be careful because the chicken will fall off the bone. You might have to use a spatula or tongs.
- Pour a little bit of the cooked marinade over the chicken. Adjust the oven rack so the top of the chicken is 4-5 inches below the broiler. Broil on high for 3-5 minutes or until the skin is crispy and golden brown. Don't walk away because this happens quickly.
- While the chicken is crisping under the broiler, simmer the sauce from the chicken and the reserved jerk marinade in a saucepan for 5-7 minutes or until it reduces to the desired consistency. Brush over chicken and serve.
Tips & Notes:
- Feel free to use breast for a lower-fat meal, but reduce the cooking time for juicier meat.
- If you don’t have dark brown sugar, but you do have white sugar and molasses, mix a teaspoon of molasses into 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar. You could even leave out the sugar completely and add a tablespoon of molasses to the marinade.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Is there a video for this recipe? What is a broiler? Do I have to ‘broil’ the chicken? Can I use the sauce in the slow cooker as a sauce over my chicken?
No not yet . Broiling is a setting in your oven . I use it mostly to quickly brown food.
Yes you can use this sauce over your chicken.
Enjoy!
Thanks Imma! We cooked this today along with the Coconut Rice and Beans and both were delicious. The chicken was tender and seasoned all the way through with crispy skin on top. The rice accompanied it perfectly and the flavours took me back to warm, happy (and rum fuelled) days at the Notting Hill Carnival.
Hahaha. I bet those were the good days!! I am happy these dishes were able to take you down memory lane. Thanks for sharing, Julian!
100!! We mixed and marinated the chicken over night. Would not change the recipe at all!
Absolutely refreshing!!
Awesome!! I am so glad you loved it. Thanks for stopping by!
This recipe looks amazing ! I’m gonna try it tonight!
Awesome! Let me know how it turns out for you.
I made this recipe a bunch of times. Excellent!!!
Today, snow is coming and I am making it again. I am turning my house into Jamaica.
Depending on ingredient availability, I make substitutions… such as, orange juice and other types of hot peppers. Also, I add a couple tablespoons of molasses to darken the sauce. Other additions… paprika and annatto powder. 🙂
Hi. I have made this and loved it. If I cook on stove what temperature and time? Honestly, would this be as satisfying or should I find time for slow cooker. Thank you.
Hello Joe, It would be just fine .You can make it in the oven too ,check out this recipe here https://www.africanbites.com/oven-baked-jerk-chicken/
Hi…you have the nutrition facts for this but what’s the serving size?
Can I make this with white meat as well? I’m not a hug fan of dark meat. How should I adjust the recipe? Would it effect the cook time?
Cook on low for 4-6 hours , start checking after 4 hours and adjust time to how you like your chicken.
I made this recipe a few months ago and I loved it. I am making it again tonight for him and my mom. I am making the coconut rice to go with it, I’m really excited about it. You have great recipes.
Thank you, Shannon! That sure sounds like a great pair. Enjoy!
Hi Imma,
Why does this recipe use Creole seasoning and not your Jerk seasoning? Noticed the same on some of the other chicken recipes as well.
Thanks in advance,
J
Hi Jack, No particular reason, just like to switch things up. Jerk or Creole seasoning would do just fine here.
This was by far the best jerk chicken ever. Now I need to master fried plantains..do you have suggestions because sometimes they come out perfect and sometimes they come out crunchy and hard
Hi Cameron! It all depends on the plantains – when shopping look for plump looking plantains – the most part it yields tender fried plantains. Might have to do a post Fried plantains . Thanks for taking the time to provide feedback!
I can not wait to make this!!!
Do let me know how it works out for you
Great dish that can be transformed in many different ways to fit taste and pantry needs. Thanks. Husband loved it
Hi
I don’t have use of oven. Can I just follow instructions but use all the sauce in slow cooker and then skip the oven part? Just eat it straight out of slow cooker. I’m not too bothered about it being crispy on top as will shred it anyway.
Absolutely ! You don’t have to make it crispy in the oven Chelsea.
First time ever making jerk chicken myself and this recipe was PERFECTION! The chicken fell right off the bone and the broiler gave it the perfect amount of crisp. I paired it with the coconut rice and beans recipe you also shared (also amazing and unique) and hubs nearly finished the entire cast iron pot himself. I usually prepare a quick veggie dish with my dinners and I added asparagus on the side of this one (didn’t feel like it was a perfect match) so I would love a better veggie pair suggestion if you have one. I wish I could post my beautiful photo of the finished chicken and rice product!! Will definitely be using additional recipes of yours 🙂
Thanks so much Tara! Would have love to see the pictures. Can’t tell you how much that means to me! I am so happy you enjoyed it! I usually pair it with this coleslaw right here. https://www.africanbites.com/caribbean-cole-slaw/. Hope you take the time to make it and let me know what you think.
Happy Friday!!!!
Giiiiirrrrrrlllll,
This recipe..OMG..my husband is stalking the kitchen right now…the smells alone are alluringly mouthwatering. We aren’t even letting the food cool off..it came out so delicious..Thank you a thousand times thank you..❤❤❤
Virtual HIGH FIVE! So glad to hear this glowing feedback. Thank you so much!!!!
Hi Imma! Can’t wait to try this recipe. Quick question: I have a large container of Jamaican Jerk Seasoning that I’d like to substitute in place of some of the spices and brown sugar…what amount would you suggest I use and what other ingredients will it replace? Thanks so much for all your wonderful recipes!!
Hi Tia! I would blend all the wet ingredients , then add the Jerk seasoning to taste- equal the amount of dry spices.
This is by far the BEST slow cooker chicken recipe I ever made and I have made many!!! My local store didn’t have habaneros so I used a huge jalapeno and that ws the only change I made. Had some family over for Memorial Day and they all LOVED it!!! My husband said this recipe is definitely a keeper and would give it 10 stars if he could!! I am so glad I came across your recipe and will for sure check out more on your site!!!!!
10 Stars? Thank you so much! Hope you love all the other recipes like you did this one . Happy Cooking!!!!
Thank you for this recipe – It’s one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten! It’s is certainly the most delicious thing I have ever made. I am lazy and did not broil the chicken first, I doubled the garlic, and I swapped cayenne pepper for the bonnets, but other than that I didn’t change anything and holy cow it’s life-changing delicious! The Caribbean Coconut Rice and Beans was also a new and amazing taste experience. These both go into my permanent file.
WOOHOO!!! Thank you so much! You are too sweet Melissa. So happy you took the time to let me know.
On behalf of my husband, my 2 and 3 year old kids and myself, we want to thank you for the delicious, fingers licking recipe! It is my first time using the slow cooker and stumbled upon your website looking for an easy to do chicken delicatessen and what can i say? it was absolutely a winner.
We cooked it on a low temperature for 8 hours, which was a bit too long as in parts the meat was not as soft as the other parts. We need to reduce the cooking time and it’ll be perfection. We loved it, this is making its entrance in our family recipe book and it’s staying there for as long as i can!!!
Awesome!!! Thanks from me to hubby and kiddos. Glad they enjoyed it . Appreciate you taking the time to let me know.