Jamaican Jerk Chicken Bowl Recipe

Jamaican Jerk Chicken Bowl Recipe

If Jamaica had a Chipotle-style restaurant, this would be their flagship dish. This vibrant bowl brings together bold Caribbean flavors, featuring smoky jerk chicken, Jamaican rice and peas, crunchy cabbage slaw, sliced avocado, sorrel pickled red onions, fresh elote, and vibrant pico de gallo.

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

For the Jerk Chicken:

   4-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

   3 tbsp Jamaican jerk seasoning

   ¼ cup jerk marinade

   2 tbsp vegetable oil

   Juice of 1 lime

   Juice of 1 orange

   Chopped onion

   Chopped scallions

   Minced garlic

For the Jamaican Cabbage Slaw:

   3 cups shredded cabbage

   1 cup shredded carrots

   ⅓ cup water

   ⅓ cup vinegar

   ½ cup sugar

   3-4 tbsp lime juice

For the Sorrel Pickled Red Onions:

   1 cup steeped hibiscus tea (sorrel)

   1 cup rice wine vinegar

   ¼ cup kosher salt

   ¼ cup sugar

   1 tsp cracked black pepper

   6 peppercorns

   6 allspice berries

   Julienned red onions

   Sliced garlic

   Sliced scotch bonnet peppers (optional, for extra heat)

For the Elote (Mexican Street Corn):

   4 corn on the cob

   1 cup mayonnaise

   ½ cup sour cream (or Mexican crema)

   ¼ cup cotija cheese, crumbled

   2 tbsp Jamaican Jerk seasoning

   1 tbsp lime juice

   1 tbsp cilantro or culantro, chopped

For the Pico de Gallo:

   2 roma tomatoes, diced

   ¼ red onion, finely chopped

   1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

   2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

   Juice of 1 lime

To Serve:

   Sliced avocados

   Crumbled cotija cheese

Instructions

1. Marinate the Jerk Chicken: In a bowl, combine jerk seasoning, marinade, oil, lime juice, and orange juice. Add the boneless, skinless chicken thighs and coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight for maximum flavor).

2. Prepare the Jamaican Cabbage Slaw: For the dressing, mix together water, vinegar, sugar, and lime juice. Toss the shredded cabbage and carrots in the dressing, and allow to sit in the fridge for an hour or so.

3. Make the Sorrel Pickled Red Onions: In a saucepan, heat steeped hibiscus tea, rice wine vinegar, kosher salt, sugar, cracked black pepper, peppercorns, and allspice berries, and bring to a boil. In a mason jar, place julienned red onions, sliced garlic, and sliced scotch bonnets (if using). Pour the hot mixture over the veggies and leave open to cool. When cool, cover and place in the refrigerator to chill.

4. Prepare the Elote: On your grill, roast corn on the cob until slightly charred. In a bowl, mix mayonnaise, sour cream, Jamaican Jerk seasoning, and lime juice. Use a knife or corn peeler to remove the kernels from the husky and place into a bowl. Add the sauce, pico de gallo, cotija cheese and some cilantro and stir well. Top with cotija cheese and cilantro for garnish.

5. Make the Pico de Gallo: Combine diced tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.

6. Cook the Jerk Chicken: Grill the marinated chicken directly over charcoal, then set indirectly to cook for 15 minutes or until fully cooked. Let it rest before slicing.

7. Assemble the Bowl: Start with a base of Jamaican Rice and Peas . Top with sliced jerk chicken, Jamaican cabbage slaw, sorrel pickled red onions, elote, sliced avocados, pico de gallo, and a final garnish of crumbled cotija cheese.

This dish will have your family putting this request in weekly so save this recipe and put it in the rotation. These flavors just go together so well, it would be a shame not to try it.