Name: Jerk Chicken Tacos
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: tex mex
Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs; 1/4 cup lime juice; 2 Tablespoons olive oil; 1 package jerk seasoning, reserving 1 1/2 teaspoons for dressing; 3 Tablespoons light brown sugar; 2 teaspoons minced garlic; 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt; 2 Tablespoons lime juice; 1 1/2 teaspoons jerk seasoning, reserved from packet used for marinade; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 pineapple; 1 small head of cabbage (I used purple); cilantro

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Jamaican Jerk Chicken Tacos are soo yummy. Spicy, yet sweet and tangy. We've brightened up the seasoning with pineapple and lime, the perfect pairing for them. They're so full of flavor, this will be your new go to chicken taco recipe!

jerk chicken tacos on a plate with a bowl of pineapple in the back.

This was inspired by our Jerk Chicken Kebabs. For other tacos ideas, check out our roasted cauliflower black bean tacos and our air fryer chicken tacos. Yum! The bright flavors of these also goes great with our Passionfruit Cheesecake!

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Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions
Variations
Equipment
Storage
Top tip
Food safety
Recipe

Ingredients

pineapple, jerk, tortillas, lime juice, olive oil, garlic and greek yogurt.

raw boneless skinless chicken breasts- check out our substitutions for directions for shredded chicken or slow cooker.
lime juice- fresh limes produce a tangy-er, fresher taste, but lime juice concentrate works great too.
olive oil
minced garlic- minced garlic is highly recommended over powdered
brown sugar
jerk seasoning
plain greek yogurt
salt
pepper
tortillas- this is great with either corn or flour tortillas
purple cabbage- a slaw mix also works fine. The purple cabbage is very eye catching though!
pineapple- again, fresh is recommended but canned will work in a pinch.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Start by chopping then marinading your chicken. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces- around 1" cubes and place in a bowl. Pour the lime juice and olive oil over the chicken and stir to combine.

lime juice, olive oil, jerk seasoning and garlic on raw chicken in a bowl.

Add the garlic, brown sugar and jerk seasoning.

Stir to combine then cover and refrigerate 2-24 hours.

Cook the chicken. Preheat the oven to 400*F. Bake in a 9x13 baking dish for 10 minutes. Take out and stir. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes, until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165*F.

Chop pineapple, cilantro and cabbage.

greek yogurt, lime juice, and jerk seasoning.

Combine greek yogurt, Jamaican jerk seasoning and lime juice together in a bowl.

greek yogurt, lime juice and jerk seasoning in a bowl.

Stir until smooth.

Finally, assemble your taco. Place meat on your taco shell then top with cabbage, cilantro, jerk sauce and pineapple. Then devour!

Hint: The longer your marinade your chicken, the more flavorful it will be!

Substitutions

Oil - feel free to use any mild flavored oil here: avocado, vegetable, etc.
Chicken- this is also a great recipe to make with chicken thighs. You can also use shredded chicken. To do this: add the marinade to the shredded chicken and let is sit at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. Warm in a 400* oven for 4-5 minutes, until hot. Make the rest as normal.
Cabbage -a slaw mix or even green cabbage is fine with this recipe
Plain Greek Yogurt- sour cream could be used instead.

Variations

Spicy - add some chopped jalapenos or habaneros for a real kick!
Deluxe- add some chopped fresh mango and avocado.
Kid friendly -if you have kids that are sensitive to heat, jerk can be a little spicy. Use half the jerk seasoning for a milder yet still delicious meal.
Air Fryer- make these in the air fryer- simply follow the directions in our air fryer chicken tacos recipe.

Equipment

Storage

Store the ingredients separately in the refrigerator in airtight containers for up to 4 days.

The jerk chicken will freeze, but the other ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.

Top tip

Don't overcook the chicken. Make sure it reaches at least 165*F to be fully cooked. Try to keep it as close to that number as possible for maximum tenderness and moisture.

Food safety

Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
Wash hands after touching raw meat
Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
Never leave cooking food unattended

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

Recipe