Baked Jerk Chicken Thighs Recipe

Oven-baked jerk chicken thighs in a skillet with pan juices and a wooden spoon, set on a white wooden table with a linen cloth.

Baked Jerk Chicken Thighs Recipe

Learn how to cook jerk chicken in the oven for juicy baked jerk chicken thighs. This recipe is incredibly easy and perfect for a weeknight dinner. It requires a bit of planning for the maximum flavor pay off, but is totally worth it!

Cuisine Caribbean

Keyword baked jerk chicken recipe, how long to cook jerk chicken thighs in oven, how to make jerk chicken in the oven, jerk chicken in oven, jerk chicken thighs

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Marinating Time 30

Total Time 1 25

Servings Servings

Calories 756kcal

Author Althea Brown

Equipment

Large Skillet

Ingredients

5 lbs bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (see notes for other options)
2 tbsp oil (suitable for cooking)
1 teaspoon salt (or salt to taste)
1/2 batch Metemgee's Jerk Seasoning (see notes for alternative)
1/2 cup pineapple juice (optional)

Instructions

Trim any excess skin or fat from the chicken thighs, then pat then dry. Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl and add the oil, salt and jerk seasoning. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, toss to coat each piece evenly. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight for deeper flavor.
When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 450°F. Arrange the marinated chicken in a single layer in a greased skillet or baking dish, skin side up. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour minutes or until the skin is browned and the chicken thighs reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
Halfway through cooking (around the 25-minute-mark) use a turkey baster or a deep pot spoon with a long handle to baste the chicken thighs with the pan juices.
If using pineapple juice, add it to the pan at around 30-35 minutes into cooking to deglaze, mixing it in with any pan drippings. And spooning it over the chicken thighs to baste. It will also help mellow some of the heat of the sauce. Continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes then remove from the oven.
Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving. Spoon the pan juices over the chicken for extra flavor.

Make it Boneless

Remove the bones from bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for faster cooking, keeping the skin for flavor. You can also use boneless thighs, skinless thighs if you prefer.

Notes

This recipe also works really well with chicken drumsticks and a whole spatchcock chicken or a whole cut up chicken.
You can also use your favorite store-bought Jerk seasoning for this recipe. My favorite jerk seasoning brand is Wakerswood. When using store-bought seasoning I add 1 tablespoon each of onion and garlic powder to the marinade to boost the flavor.

Nutrition