This Jamaican jerk hen will get the tastebuds tingling with a candy, smoky selfmade jerk seasoning that infuses each chunk with Caribbean taste. After a fast sizzle in a scorching skillet, I serve it with a straightforward 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 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 chunk and I really feel like I’ve my toes within the sand within the heat Caribbean. This selfmade jerk hen is good, fragrant, smoky, and with an excellent 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 straightforward 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 on the surface 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 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 hearth. Jamaican jerk hen will get its scorching, aromatic, smoky taste from spices like allspice, ginger, garlic, and spicy scotch bonnet pepper. Somewhat than an open hearth, I prepare dinner my jerk hen in a skillet. However it’s additionally wonderful on the grill!
What You’ll Want
Listed here are the notes on the substances I used on this simple jerk recipe. Scroll to the recipe card after the publish for a printable record 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 prepare dinner.
- Jerk Seasoning – This may be store-bought or selfmade (see beneath). Jamaican jerk spice is vital 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 mixture of sliced ripe peaches and pink plums since they’re simple 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.
Simple Selfmade Jerk Seasoning
My selfmade 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 possibly can simply adapt the warmth to style. In case you love a five-alarm hearth, bump up the cayenne and crushed pepper, or use a warmer chili powder, like habanero.
Find out 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 lined 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 beneath for a few of my favourite serving concepts.
Grilling Methodology
Cooking jerk hen on the stovetop is quick and straightforward, 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 observe 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 choose to marinate the hen, you possibly can borrow the selfmade 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 prepare dinner the hen as standard.
Ideas and Variations
- Let the hen relaxation. Resting the cooked hen when you put together the fruit sauce provides the juices time to redistribute all through the meat. Be certain 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 pink pepper. For milder jerk hen, select a light seasoning from the shop or make a selfmade 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 in addition to a mattress of fluffy white rice. A glass of Riesling goes nice with the daring, spicy jerk flavors, or you possibly can wash it down with hibiscus iced tea. Generally, 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 an enormous bowl of sancocho dominicano. And don’t miss a slice of banana pound cake for dessert!
Regularly 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 facet. For this reason I like making my very own jerk seasoning. I can modify the warmth to style!
If the jerk hen appears to be like slightly blackened on the surface, don’t fear. It’s seemingly not burnt, simply darkened as a result of spice rub coming into contact with the recent pan. If the hen is definitely burning, although, it may very well be that the pan is simply too scorching. Be certain 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 underneath 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 along with your fingers.
Pan-fry. Warmth olive oil in a big nonstick skillet over medium warmth. Add the hen and prepare dinner for 10 to 12 minutes, or till accomplished, turning as soon as midway via cooking. Take away the hen from the skillet and switch it to a plate. Preserve the hen lined and set it apart.
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 prepare dinner for 10 minutes or till the fruit is tender and the sauce is thickened, stirring regularly.
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 information is an estimate and offered as courtesy. Values could fluctuate in line with the substances and instruments used. Please use your most popular dietary calculator for extra detailed information.