This Jamaican jerk hen will get the tastebuds tingling with a candy, smoky selfmade jerk seasoning that infuses each chew with Caribbean taste. After a handy guide a rough sizzle in a scorching skillet, I serve it with a very easy sauce made out of juicy sautéed peaches and plums.
With all that taste, this jerk hen takes simply half-hour to make! For extra Caribbean-style recipes, do this simple Jamaican curry hen and my highly spiced Cuban mojo hen.
Each time I make this Jamaican jerk hen, I to find myself buzzing alongside to the track “Kokomo” by way of the Seashore Boys (Aruba, Jamaica, ooh I wanna take ya…). I swear, the flavors on this jerk hen recipe have teleportation powers. One chew and I think like I’ve my toes within the sand within the heat Caribbean. This selfmade jerk hen is nice, fragrant, smoky, and with a just right quantity of warmth. Cross me a tumbler of sorrel juice and I’m there!
Why You’ll Pass Loopy For This Jerk Hen Recipe
- Candy, highly spiced, savory. I give this hen a scrumptious rub-down with a very easy selfmade jerk seasoning (only a handful of pantry spices!) and serve it with sweet-savory sautéed peaches and plums. It’s the BEST combo.
- 30-minute meal. Boneless hen breast is fast to prepare dinner within the pan and the spices create a scrumptious crust at the outdoor whilst it sears. I exploit the leftover pan bits to make a easy however scrumptious sauce with sautéed peaches and plums. The entire dish takes half-hour!
- Nice for leftovers. Jamaican jerk hen retail outlets neatly and tastes nice chilly or reheated. I like dicing up the leftovers and rolling them up in comfortable flatbread for a lunch wrap.
What Is Jamaican Jerk Hen?
Jerk is a Jamaican cooking genre the place meat, normally hen, will get rubbed with Caribbean seasonings and cooked over fireplace. Jamaican jerk hen will get its scorching, aromatic, smoky taste from spices like allspice, ginger, garlic, and highly spiced scotch bonnet pepper. Moderately than an open fireplace, I prepare dinner my jerk hen in a skillet. Nevertheless it’s additionally wonderful at the grill!
What You’ll Want
Listed below are the notes at the substances I used on this simple jerk recipe. Scroll to the recipe card after the publish for a printable checklist with quantities.
- Hen – I exploit boneless, skinless hen breasts, however you’ll make jerk hen thighs, too. Hen at the bone additionally works, regardless that it takes longer to prepare dinner.
- Jerk Seasoning – This can also be store-bought or selfmade (see beneath). Jamaican jerk spice is essential to the hen’s taste.
- Olive Oil – Or avocado oil, for pan-frying.
- Cornstarch – I make a handy guide a rough slurry with cornstarch and water to thicken the pan sauce.
- Stone Fruit – I exploit a mixture of sliced ripe peaches and pink plums since they’re simple to search out. Different just right stone fruit choices are nectarines, apricots, and mangos. Be at liberty to make use of what you favor, and what’s in season.
- Brown Sugar – Or granulated sugar, however I love the additional caramelization of brown sugar on this recipe. You’ll additionally use some other sweetener, like honey.
Simple Selfmade Jerk Seasoning
My selfmade Jamaican jerk seasoning is a mix of pantry-friendly spices like garlic powder, cayenne pepper, thyme, allspice, flooring cinnamon, and nutmeg. The recipe is a bit of milder than some conventional jerk blends in the market, however you’ll simply adapt the warmth to style. When you love a five-alarm fireplace, bump up the cayenne and overwhelmed pepper, or use a warmer chili powder, like habanero.
Methods to Make Jamaican Jerk Hen
Apply those steps to make highly spiced jerk hen crowned with caramelized peaches and plums:
- Season the hen. Get started by way of rubbing the hen in all places with jerk seasoning.
- Cook dinner. Subsequent, sear the hen in a skillet over medium warmth. Stay the cooked hen coated whilst you set it apart to make the sauce.
- Make the sauce. In the similar skillet, sauté sliced peaches and plums with brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Stir in a slurry of cornstarch and water and let that simmer.
- Serve. As soon as the sauce thickens, spoon it over the jerk hen and serve. See beneath for a few of my favourite serving concepts.
Grilling Means
Cooking jerk hen at the stovetop is speedy and simple, however I like to make this at the grill in the summer. To make grilled Jamaican jerk hen, rub the hen with seasoning as directed and practice the grilling instructions for my grilled blackened hen.
Can I Use a Jerk Marinade As a substitute?
Positive! The jerk seasoning I exploit here’s a dry rub, however in the event you’d like to marinate the hen, you’ll borrow the selfmade Jamaican jerk sauce from my highly spiced grilled beef chops. Upload the sauce and hen to a big Ziploc bag and let it marinate within the refrigerator for half-hour. In a while, season and prepare dinner the hen as same old.
Guidelines and Permutations
- Let the hen relaxation. Resting the cooked hen whilst you get ready the fruit sauce provides the juices time to redistribute right through the beef. You’ll want to duvet it with foil to stay it heat and juicy.
- Adapt the warmth. Be at liberty to boost the seasoning with further chili powder, cayenne, or overwhelmed pink pepper. For milder jerk hen, make a selection a light seasoning from the shop or make a selfmade mix with much less spice.
- Other toppings. The tropical mango salsa from my mango hen recipe additionally is going nice with the sweet-spicy flavors on this jerk hen.
Serving Tips
This Jamaican jerk hen doesn’t want a lot but even so a mattress of fluffy white rice. A tumbler of Riesling is going nice with the daring, highly spiced jerk flavors, or you’ll wash it down with hibiscus iced tea. Occasionally, I’ll skip the fruit sauce and slice the hen breasts over jerk hen rasta pasta on weeknights.
To truly make this right into a Caribbean dinner party, serve jerk hen with buttery baked lobster tails, or island hop to the Dominican Republic with a large bowl of sancocho dominicano. And don’t leave out a slice of banana pound cake for dessert!
Often Requested Questions
The phrase “jerk” comes from the Spanish phrase “charqui”, or “jerky” in English, which means jerked or dried meat. In the meantime, Jamaican jerk spice is the spice rub utilized in jerk recipes.
Jamaican jerk hen is aromatic and smoky, and most standard Jamaican jerk recipes lean in opposition to the fiery aspect. Because of this I like making my very own jerk seasoning. I will be able to modify the warmth to style!
If the jerk hen appears to be like a bit blackened at the outdoor, don’t fear. It’s most probably no longer burnt, simply darkened because of the spice rub entering touch with the new pan. If the hen is in reality burning, regardless that, it might be that the pan is simply too scorching. You’ll want to stay it over medium warmth.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Retailer. Stay any leftover jerk hen hermetic within the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You’ll additionally freeze leftovers for as much as 3 months and defrost them within the refrigerator for reheating.
Reheat. Heat the hen within the oven at 350ºF beneath foil till it’s scorching right through.
Extra Hen Recipes
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Season the hen. Sprinkle jerk seasoning over the hen items and rub it in together with your arms.
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Pan-fry. Warmth olive oil in a big nonstick skillet over medium warmth. Upload the hen and prepare dinner for 10 to twelve mins, or till accomplished, turning as soon as midway via cooking. Take away the hen from the skillet and switch it to a plate. Stay the hen coated and set it apart.
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Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk in combination the water and cornstarch to make a slurry. Upload the fruit, sugar, and salt to the skillet. Stir within the cornstarch combination and convey to a boil. Scale back the warmth to low and prepare dinner for 10 mins or till the fruit is mushy and the sauce is thickened, stirring regularly.
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Serve! Spoon the fruit sauce over the hen and serve.
Energy: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 25g | Fats: 10g | Saturated Fats: 1g | Ldl cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 239mg | Potassium: 651mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Diet A: 985IU | Diet C: 9.4mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
Dietary data is an estimate and supplied as courtesy. Values would possibly range in line with the substances and gear used. Please use your most popular dietary calculator for extra detailed data.