This Jamaican jerk hen will get the tastebuds tingling with a candy, smoky home made jerk seasoning that infuses each chew with Caribbean taste. After a fast sizzle in a scorching skillet, I serve it with a simple 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 that straightforward Jamaican curry hen and my spicy Cuban mojo hen.
Each time I make this Jamaican jerk hen, I discover myself buzzing alongside to the tune “Kokomo” by the Seaside Boys (Aruba, Jamaica, ooh I wanna take ya…). I swear, the flavors on this jerk hen recipe have teleportation powers. One chew and I really feel like I’ve my ft within the sand within the heat Caribbean. This home made jerk hen is good, fragrant, smoky, and with a superb quantity of warmth. Cross me a glass of sorrel juice and I’m there!
Why You’ll Go Loopy For This Jerk Hen Recipe
- Candy, spicy, savory. I give this hen a scrumptious rub-down with a simple home made 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 cook dinner within the pan and the spices create a scrumptious crust on the skin whereas 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 shops properly and tastes nice chilly or reheated. I really like dicing up the leftovers and rolling them up in gentle flatbread for a lunch wrap.
What Is Jamaican Jerk Hen?
Jerk is a Jamaican cooking fashion 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 spicy scotch bonnet pepper. Reasonably than an open fireplace, I cook dinner my jerk hen in a skillet. But it surely’s additionally wonderful on the grill!
What You’ll Want
Listed below are the notes on the components I used on this straightforward 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 may make jerk hen thighs, too. Hen on the bone additionally works, although it takes longer to cook dinner.
- Jerk Seasoning – This may be store-bought or home made (see under). Jamaican jerk spice is essential to the hen’s taste.
- Olive Oil – Or avocado oil, for pan-frying.
- Cornstarch – I make a fast slurry with cornstarch and water to thicken the pan sauce.
- Stone Fruit – I exploit a mix of sliced ripe peaches and purple plums since they’re straightforward to seek out. Different good stone fruit choices are nectarines, apricots, and mangos. Be happy to make use of what you want, and what’s in season.
- Brown Sugar – Or granulated sugar, however I like the additional caramelization of brown sugar on this recipe. You may as well use one other sweetener, like honey.
Straightforward Selfmade Jerk Seasoning
My home made Jamaican jerk seasoning is a mix of pantry-friendly spices like garlic powder, cayenne pepper, thyme, allspice, floor cinnamon, and nutmeg. The recipe is a bit milder than some conventional jerk blends on the market, however you’ll be able to simply adapt the warmth to style. For those who love a five-alarm fireplace, bump up the cayenne and crushed pepper, or use a warmer chili powder, like habanero.
Learn how to Make Jamaican Jerk Hen
Observe these steps to make spicy jerk hen topped with caramelized peaches and plums:
- Season the hen. Begin by rubbing the hen throughout with jerk seasoning.
- Prepare dinner. Subsequent, sear the hen in a skillet over medium warmth. Preserve the cooked hen coated when you set it apart to make the sauce.
- Make the sauce. In the identical 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 under for a few of my favourite serving concepts.
Grilling Methodology
Cooking jerk hen on the stovetop is quick and simple, however I like to make this on the grill within the summertime. To make grilled Jamaican jerk hen, rub the hen with seasoning as directed and comply with 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 for those who’d choose to marinate the hen, you’ll be able to borrow the home made Jamaican jerk sauce from my spicy grilled pork chops. Add the sauce and hen to a big Ziploc bag and let it marinate within the fridge for half-hour. Afterward, season and cook dinner the hen as ordinary.
Ideas and Variations
- Let the hen relaxation. Resting the cooked hen when you put together the fruit sauce offers the juices time to redistribute all through the meat. Make sure that to cowl it with foil to maintain it heat and juicy.
- Adapt the warmth. Be happy to boost the seasoning with additional chili powder, cayenne, or crushed purple pepper. For milder jerk hen, select a light seasoning from the shop or make a home made mix with much less spice.
- Totally different toppings. The tropical mango salsa from my mango hen recipe additionally goes nice with the sweet-spicy flavors on this jerk hen.
Serving Solutions
This Jamaican jerk hen doesn’t want a lot apart from a mattress of fluffy white rice. A glass of Riesling goes nice with the daring, spicy jerk flavors, or you’ll be able to wash it down with hibiscus iced tea. Typically, I’ll skip the fruit sauce and slice the hen breasts over jerk hen rasta pasta on weeknights.
To actually make this right into a Caribbean feast, serve jerk hen with buttery baked lobster tails, or island hop to the Dominican Republic with a giant bowl of sancocho dominicano. And don’t miss a slice of banana pound cake for dessert!
Often Requested Questions
The phrase “jerk” comes from the Spanish phrase “charqui”, or “jerky” in English, that 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 conventional Jamaican jerk recipes lean in direction of the fiery aspect. Because of this I really like making my very own jerk seasoning. I can modify the warmth to style!
If the jerk hen seems to be a bit blackened on the skin, don’t fear. It’s possible not burnt, simply darkened as a result of spice rub coming into contact with the new pan. If the hen is definitely burning, although, it could possibly be that the pan is simply too scorching. Make sure that to maintain it over medium warmth.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Retailer. Preserve any leftover jerk hen hermetic within the fridge for 3-4 days. You may as well freeze leftovers for as much as 3 months and defrost them within the fridge for reheating.
Reheat. Heat the hen within the oven at 350ºF beneath foil till it’s scorching all 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 fingers.
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Pan-fry. Warmth olive oil in a big nonstick skillet over medium warmth. Add the hen and cook dinner for 10 to 12 minutes, or till carried out, turning as soon as midway by way of cooking. Take away the hen from the skillet and switch it to a plate. Preserve the hen coated and set it apart.
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Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk collectively the water and cornstarch to make a slurry. Add the fruit, sugar, and salt to the skillet. Stir within the cornstarch combination and produce to a boil. Scale back the warmth to low and cook dinner for 10 minutes or till the fruit is tender and the sauce is thickened, stirring continuously.
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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 | Vitamin A: 985IU | Vitamin C: 9.4mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
Dietary data is an estimate and offered as courtesy. Values could fluctuate in accordance with the components and instruments used. Please use your most well-liked dietary calculator for extra detailed data.
